Why are some gambling ages different?

Question

Why do you only have to be 16 to gamble on lottery and scratchcards but you have to be 18 to bet on horses, enter a casino, or gamble online ?

Answer 1

Lotteries are not seen as a problem because of the environment you are in when you place a bet. If you go to a casino or a bookies the real problem is that you are surrounded by people who go there punt and the atmosphere in the places will only make a problem worse if you have one. Going to your local corner shop to place a bet on the lottery is seen as a lesser evil.

Answer 2

The real answer is that lotteries are run by the government and they make a lot of money off of them so they are prepared to be more lax with the rules in order to increase their profits.

King Cobra Poker

Answer 3

Because it is a lottery. There has always been a lower age for lottery gambling in the UK

Traditionally because lottery winnings wee so low (pre 1994) that it wasn't considered proper gambling