A TESCO store has been banned from selling National Lottery products after they failed to ask a customer for proof of age while buying a scratch-card.
The six-month ban is thought to be the first time the supermarket giant has ever been penalised for flouting lottery regulations.
The Tesco Extra store in Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, was caught out after an undercover Camelot agent was handed the lottery product without question.
Lottery bosses hired someone who is older than 16-year-old but looks younger to go into shops and try and buy products ‘illegally’.
These ‘test purchases’ are how Camelot bosses keep track of any stores who may be selling tickets and scratch-cards to youths.
Tesco confirmed the workers involved are now undergoing “further training” in the wake of the incident.
“Removed”
A Camelot spokeswoman confirmed the store was banned from selling Lottery tickets for six months.
She said: “We have terminated the National Lottery Retailer Agreement of Tesco Extra in Rutherglen, resulting in the store no longer being authorised to sell National Lottery products.
“Camelot takes matters of propriety very seriously. Our aim as operator of The National Lottery is to raise as much money as possible for National Lottery Good Causes through selling lottery tickets in a socially-responsible way. This involves running The National Lottery with the utmost integrity.
“In order to do this, we adhere to the highest standards in player protection. Our operations and processes are subject to the scrutiny of our own internal auditors, independent external auditors, and representatives from our regulator, the National Lottery Commission.
“In the latest Operation Child programme, National Lottery retailers are achieving a first refusal rate of almost 90% and no terminals have needed to be removed.”
A Tesco spokeswoman said: ““When it comes to selling age restricted products, we take our responsibilities very seriously.
“We have a strict Think 21 policy in place across all our stores on lottery tickets and we were very disappointed to learn of this matter.
“Our colleagues have undergone further training to remind them of their obligations.”
