National Lottery Launches New & Enhanced Retail Compliance Campaign!

Following the findings and recommendations arising from the underage mystery shopper research carried out by the Regulator of the National Lottery in 2024, the National Lottery has implemented a strengthened suite of retailer and player-facing measures. This is designed to help prevent underage play and reinforce compliance standards among retailers and their staff nationwide. 

The initiative was formally announced at a photocall attended by Jack Chambers, Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Carol Boate, Regulator of the National Lottery and Cian Murphy, CEO, National Lottery, alongside key representatives from the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA).

"TLC: Think, Look, Check," a new retailer focused age verification and compliance initiative, aims to support retailers in consistently applying age control requirements at the point of sale for all National Lottery products.

The campaign is also supported by new mandatory compliance training videos for all retailers. These materials provide clear guidance and practical instruction on:

• Age control laws and legal obligations under the Licence and the National Lottery Act.
• Educating retailers on the impact of underage gambling and the risks involved.
• Best practice approaches to preventing underage play.

This training is part of the National Lottery’s ongoing commitment to strengthening retailer education and ensuring high levels of compliance across the network as part of its responsibility to stop people who are underage from using its products, given that early gambling experiences, including lottery play, may be a risk factor for later problem gambling.

Commenting on the new measures, Minister Jack Chambers, Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation said: “The sale of National Lottery products to anyone under the age of 18 is prohibited by law and it is important that robust safeguards are in place to ensure those protections are consistently applied across the country. I welcome the introduction of the TLC campaign and the enhanced retailer training programme. These measures will support retailers in meeting their responsibilities and help strengthen age verification at the point of sale. The findings of the Regulator's mystery shopper research demonstrated that progress has been made, but also that further action is required. Maintaining public confidence in the National Lottery requires a continued commitment from the operator, retailers and the Regulator to the highest standards of compliance and responsible play, and I welcome the collaborative approach being taken to achieve that goal.”

Carol Boate, Regulator of the National Lottery said: “In 2024 the Office of the Regulator of the National Lottery undertook the second of our “mystery shop” exercises. While I was encouraged to see progress had been made since our initial “mystery shop” in 2018, with more retail staff proactively requesting ID and a significant increase in the number of stores displaying 18+ signage, it did concern me that nearly three in ten shops visited were still prepared to sell National Lottery products to minors. Since then, I have proactively engaged with the National Lottery operator, PLI, about additional measures to increase awareness and compliance amongst retailers. I welcome the initiative being launched today by the Minister, which will help move us towards achieving our shared goal of ensuring no child in Ireland can buy a National Lottery product and I hope to see that progress reflected in the next in our series of “mystery shop” reports.”

Cian Murphy, CEO, National Lottery, said: "Protecting young people from underage play remains a central priority within our responsible play program. In response to the findings and recommendations from the Regulator of the National Lottery’s mystery shopper research, we have introduced the TLC (Think, Look, Check) campaign - an initiative designed to significantly elevate awareness and strengthen age verification standards across our retail network. Over the coming months, we will implement a series of further measures, including the launch of a new Retailer app and additional training videos for retail staff. These initiatives are designed to enhance compliance and continue supporting our retail partners in meeting their responsibilities."

Nearly 30 cent in every €1 spent on National Lottery games goes back to Good Causes in the areas of sport, youth, health, welfare, education, arts, heritage and the Irish Language. In total, €7 billion has been raised for Good Causes since the National Lottery was established 39 years ago. In 2024 alone, €239.3 million was raised for local Good Causes in communities across Ireland.

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