In the UK, there are many age restrictions in place under the law, from smoking, drinking alcohol and gambling, to marriage, sexual consent, driving, employment and now accessing social media.Â
In an increasingly digital society, ensuring that age-restricted goods and services remain inaccessible to underage consumers has become a growing challenge. As societal norms and technology evolve, is it time for an overhaul of age restrictions and the verification processes that govern them?
Alcohol Sales and In-Person Age Verification
Since 1923, it has been illegal for those under the age of 18 to purchase alcohol. The law is enforced strongly by local authorities and trading standards officers, who conduct test purchasing operations to ensure that retailers and licensed premises are following the regulations.
Premises selling alcohol typically follow the Challenge 25 policy, which encourages staff to check ID from anyone who looks under 25. Selling alcohol to anyone under 18 is a criminal offence, with both the seller and the licence holder facing penalties including fines and even imprisonment for repeat offences. If a licence holder is found to repeatedly break regulations, they can face a review or revocation of their licence.
As most supermarkets in the UK now offer online sales, age verification checks for alcohol sales have extended into the digital realm. Retailers are required to confirm the age at the point of sale and on delivery of the goods. This can include credit card validation, cross-checking databases or age verification software. However, these methods can often be circumvented more easily than an in-person ID check.
Despite strict measures, there is a high percentage of underage drinking in the UK. A report by the World Health Organisation found that a third of 11-year-olds and more than half of 13-year-olds in the UK have drunk alcohol at some point. Societal attitudes towards alcohol are largely the reason why strict age verification hasn’t eliminated underage drinking, although it is in decline.
Online Gambling Age Verification
Over the past two decades, online gambling has increased significantly across the UK. A 2024 survey found that over one-third of the population had taken part in online gambling that year, either betting on sports, playing casino games or playing the lottery.
All forms of online gambling are strictly regulated in the UK under the Gambling Act 2005, which states that all sites must be licensed by the UK Gambling Commission to legally accept players. Before depositing funds and accessing games, including free-to-play games, users must have their age verified.
Gambling operators like Megaways Casino use a variety of methods to check the age of users when they sign up. This includes cross-checking personal details with credit reference agencies and electoral rolls. However, most sites also follow a Know Your Customer (KYC) process. This involves users being asked to upload photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence, as well as proof of address.
Gambling platforms that fail to comply with licensing regulations can face significant fees, legal action and the loss of their lucrative operating license. In recent years, the UK Gambling Commission has increased its enforcement of its regulations due to public concerns about the rise of online gambling platforms and the danger of underage gambling.
Social Media and Adult Content: A New Frontier of Age Verification
The potential harms of underage drinking and gambling are well understood, but the negative effects of social media and adult content are still being studied. However, from what we do know, it appears as though more can be done to verify the age of users and prevent underage exposure to harmful content.
Recent studies into social media usage have suggested that it could increase the prevalence of negative emotions, leading to an increase in anxiety, depression and loneliness. Meanwhile, accessing adult content can lead to relationship issues and addiction while possibly increasing the prevalence of sexual abuse and violence.
Most social media platforms require users to be at least 13 years of age, though its widely reported that children under 13 are still able to circumvent these rules.
The UK’s Online Safety Act was passed in 2023 and aims to make platforms take further steps to prevent underage access and protect children from harmful content. This may also include forcing social media services to implement strict age verification checks.
New technologies, such as AI-powered facial age estimation and biometric verification, could help prevent underage users from accessing social media. However, there are technical limitations and privacy concerns which make implementing these a difficult challenge.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
