Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963

22 Betting circulars not to be sent to young persons. E+W+S

(1) If any person, for the purpose of earning commission, reward or other profit, sends or causes to be sent to a person whom he knows to be under the age of [F1 eighteen years] any circular, notice, advertisement, letter, telegram or other document which invites or may reasonably be implied to invite the person receiving it to make any bet, or to enter into or take any share or interest in any betting transaction, or to apply to any person or at any place with a view to obtaining information or advice for the purpose of any bet or for information as to any race, fight, game, sport or other contingency upon which betting is generally carried on, he shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) If any such document as aforesaid names or refers to anyone as a person to whom any payment may be made, or from whom information may be obtained, for the purpose of or in relation to betting, the person so named or referred to shall be deemed to have sent that document or caused it to be sent unless he proves that he had not consented to be so named and that he was not in any way a party to, and was wholly ignorant of, the sending of the document.

(3) If any such document as aforesaid is sent to any person at any university, college, school or other place of education and that person is under the age of [F1 eighteen years], the person sending the document or causing it to be sent shall be deemed to have known that person to be under that age unless he proves that he had reasonable grounds for believing him [F2 to have attained that age].

[F3 (4) In any case concerning—

(a) a bet which is an entry in a qualifying competition (as defined in section 1(4D) of this Act),

(b) a betting transaction relating to such a bet, or

(c) information as to any game of association football upon which such betting is carried on,

this section shall have effect with the substitution in subsections (1) and (3) of “sixteen” for “eighteen”.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words substituted by Age of Majority (Scotland) Act 1969 (c. 39), s. 1(3), Sch. 1 Pt. I and Family Law Reform Act 1969 (c. 46), s. 1(3), Sch. 1 Pt. I

F2 Words in s. 22(3) substituted (14.11.1994) by 1993 c. 39, s. 57(2)(a); S.I. 1994/2659, art. 2

F3 S. 22(4) added (14.11.1994) by 1993 c. 39, s. 57(2)(b); S.I. 1994/2659, art. 2

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Mode of trial in s. 22 specified (S.) (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 46, ss. 292(1), 309(2), Sch. 10 para. 4(g) (with ss. 24(2), 307(2))