GAMBLERS in a US state must now scan their ID card whenever they want to buy a lottery ticket.
The new measure, which came into force across Texas on December 30, is part of bosses’ attempts to crack down on underage gambling.
To play the lottery in the Lone Star state, players must be 18 or over.
But the new rule applies to tickets sold via vending machines, as revealed by the Texas Lottery.
Players buying tickets from the machine have to scan the card; otherwise, the transaction will not be completed.
And, it doesn’t matter how old a player is. This new law does not discriminate.
Players have been warned that their ID must be valid; otherwise, it will not scan.
Out-of-state ID cards that do not have a certain type of barcode will also not be scanned.
Retailers have been warned that it is a Class C misdemeanor to sell a person under the age of 18 a lotto ticket.
If a store breaches the rule, then they could lose their license to sell tickets.
Lotto chiefs believe this extra measure will help store workers.
“The new age verification measure will support retail staff in enforcing existing rules to prohibit minors from buying lottery tickets,” Ryan Mindell, the executive director of the Texas Lottery Commission, said.
Officials have explained how the process works.
They must scan the barcode under their driver’s license or ID card under a reader.
But, the ID card must be held horizontally with the barcode facing upward.
They will hear a beep when their ID card has been scanned.
Why do Texas players have to scan ID when they are buying lotto tickets from machines?
LOTTO players in Texas must scan their ID card when buying a ticket from a self-service machine.
This is a policy designed to ensure that tickets do not end up in the hands of underage gamblers.
The new law doesn’t discriminate as it applies to anyone buying a ticket.
They must place their ID card under a reader and it registers the barcode.
Gamblers will hear a beep when they have verified their age.
Officials have revealed reasons why ID cards might not scan. These include:
- A damaged barcode
- Expired license
- An older form of ID
Source: Texas Lottery
Texas officials have stressed that no data is stored.
Major retailers such as 7-Eleven in the US and Canada are known for enforcing ID checks when it comes to lotto tickets.
But, the crackdown has left some shoppers bewildered.
Carl Spenard, an Alberta, Canada, resident, was concerned when a worker told him she had to scan his ID when he wanted to buy a lotto ticket.
“Anytime you scan government ID, it’s just always leery to me,” he told Global News.
“There’s always data breaches. It’s happened in the past.”
The new law affects all lotto players[/caption]
