Camelot blasted for aiming scratchcards at youngsters

UK's official national lottery operator has been accused of targeting youth with scratchcards based on popular games.

Camelot have been attacked for selling a large number of scratchcards with youth-oriented themes.

Among the new scratchcards are Monopoly, Pac Man and Connect 4 based games. This concentration on youth culture, along with the scratchcards' colourful animations and childish graphics, have led to the accusations.

In addition, the Daily Mail reported that the scratchcards are generally placed alongside sweets and chocolate bars, increasing the likelihood of children noticing them.

The minimum age for purchasing scratchcards is 16. However, the retailers must decide if a customer is under-age.

Paddy O'Donnell, Professor of Psychology at Glasgow University, said, “The theme of a scratch card is important because it is what first attracts a young person. It's very much like alcopops- they are packaged in an attractive way to get young people engaged.”

In response, Camelot stated that sales figures of its scratchcards to under-age children are extremely low, and that the "retro" scratchcards are more likely to appeal to adults.