Adolescent participation in the U.K. National Lottery Games

This study investigated illegal participation in the two U.K. National Lottery games (online game and scratchcards) by children under the age of 16 years. The sample consisted of 256 children aged between 13 and 15 years from four mixed-sex comprehensive schools/colleges, which serve city, town, rural and coastal catchment areas in the county of Devon, U.K. Pupils completed a questionnaire in a controlled environment at their respective schools/colleges. The findings indicated that 56% of the sample had participated in the National Lottery on-line game and 54% in the National LotteryInstants scratchcards. Regression analysis revealed that the best predictors of participation in the on-line game were income, household participation, whether the TV show was watched and whether a retailer had ever refused to sell a child a lottery ticket. The same variables (minus watching of the TV show) were also the best predictors of buying scratchcards.