Several gambling commissions around Europe have started to become concerned at the number of underage individuals playing fruit machines at bars and pubs. Staff at drinking establishments are supposed to prevent anyone underage from playing on such machines, but it’s clear that many often turn a blind eye to teenagers playing these games. The majority of us have fond memories of sticking a few Euros, Pounds, Francs, Deutschmarks, or Lira into the fruit machines at the local bar, but long gone are the days of when this was acceptable. Due to the fear of addiction, gambling commissions are starting to crack down.

Teens at Increased Risk

Teenagers are deemed to be more susceptible to developing addictions than adults. The hormone imbalances that teenagers go through have been shown to play into this addictive behavior and make the case for addiction stronger – it’s one of the reasons why gambling carries a legal age of 18 in many countries. With the evolution of technology, these fruit machines in bars and pubs have become more engaging and fascinating, making it easier for youths to get hooked.

ID and KYC Checks are Vital

Bar staff need to do more in terms of asking players for ID before they can begin playing on the machines. This would go a long way in stamping out the growing youth addiction to gambling that’s occurring within Europe. While bar staff are often very busy and don’t have time to ID players, a system whereby an ID card is scanned to assess the player’s age would suffice in curbing the issue. Online casinos already demand ID from players who create an account as part of the KYC process, meaning it’s not really an issue with licensed establishments. This clearly goes to show that the KYC process prevents teens from playing slots or casino games – meaning that it could be useful within land-based gambling units.

KYC Landing in Crypto Exchanges

The same KYC processes that casinos have been using for decades are starting to make an impact within the wild west world of crypto trading, Numerous crypto exchanges are taking up the practice in a bid to stop undesired people trading at their crypto exchange, similarly to how KYC in casinos prevents undesired punters or players who cheat from playing at certain establishments.

Rule Breakers Being Banned from Casinos

People who break the rules have a long history of being blacklisted, and the same could be used in pubs and bars with teenagers. In fact, over in Nevada two new names have been added to the state’s famous “black book” of banned gamblers. The two names have been caught cheating at multiple casinos in the state. While cheating is very different to underage gambling, a similar method of punishment could very well help to resolve the issue.

Gambling commissions have a long way to go before they manage to stamp out underage gambling in bars and pubs, but implementing some form of KYC checks before using the machines would be a good first step.