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National Lottery operator Camelot Group confirmed to UK media that it has stopped selling £10 category scratchcards as part of an effort to tackle problem gambling.
Camelot has informed its UK retail partners to withdraw all £10 scratchcards from their displays, with the lottery operator allowing a 180-day window for players to claim prizes.
Initial plans to withdraw its highest priced scratchcards were announced back in the summer, with the operator acknowledging UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) opinion that these particular games ” are not consistent with being a leisure activity”.
“After careful consideration of new evidence both the Commission and the Licensee agreed that all scratchcards at the £10 price point should be removed from sale until we are satisfied that the risks posed to our duties are mitigated,” the UKGC detailed in a statement.
Last year alone, Camelot registered £3.1 billion in sales just from scratch cards and online instant win games. However, the company doesn’t detail its revenue figures by game or price, so it’s not possible to know how much it made from the £10 scratchcards.
The highest-priced instant win National Lottery scratchcard games in UK shops are now £5.
The UK Government is also considering raising the minimum age for buying scratchcards and play online instant win games from 16 to 18. Minister for Sport and Civil Society Mims Davies announced in July that the government plans to launch a new consultation on minimum age increase.
