Page 2 | AIBU to think a birthday scratch card win was harmless fun?

Fidbdfb · 2026-06-04T15:30:30+00:00

It was my daughter’s birthday this week, and I got her a scratch card just for a bit of fun. She ended up winning £100 from a £5 card. I mentioned it to a friend, but she felt quite strongly that she’d never let her child do anything like that, as she sees it as gambling. It felt a bit over the top to me, to me it was just a harmless bit of fun for a special occasion.... Is she being over top?

Sparrowsandbudgies · 06/06/2026 10:17

Ohmygawdflippingheck · 06/06/2026 10:01

Ive seen so many customers let small children (from toddler age) choose scratch cards and then get shirty when we wont sell it to them. It's innocent fun to them but we could potentially get fined and lose our jobs, it's not really worth it even if the risk is very small.

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But if the adult is buying the scratch card then no laws have been broken? It’s not like the child themselves is going to purchase the card.

scalt · 06/06/2026 10:05

This thread makes me long for the “AIBU about shoes off in the house” threads.

From scratch cards to rape to drink driving in sixty seconds.

I think I need to start buying scratch cards and lottery tickets, instead of reading mumsnet.

TheTealHiker · 06/06/2026 10:03

Ohmygawdflippingheck · 06/06/2026 10:01

Ive seen so many customers let small children (from toddler age) choose scratch cards and then get shirty when we wont sell it to them. It's innocent fun to them but we could potentially get fined and lose our jobs, it's not really worth it even if the risk is very small.

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I agree.
I was subject to verbal abuse when I worked in Retail wouldn't serve alcohol to kids who looked under-age.
Now they have to provide proof of age, which is better.

Ohmygawdflippingheck · 06/06/2026 10:01

TheTealHiker · 06/06/2026 08:40

Well, some retail workers do care, and so they should.

I spent some time working in Retail and I know if an employee sells age-restricted items to the wrong age-group the seller can be prosecuted.

https://noidnosale.com/age-restricted-products-and-services-in-the-uk

Some people think they can break the law with impunity and that it's 'no big deal', until of course, it bites them on the bum...

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Ive seen so many customers let small children (from toddler age) choose scratch cards and then get shirty when we wont sell it to them. It's innocent fun to them but we could potentially get fined and lose our jobs, it's not really worth it even if the risk is very small.

Nicelynicelyjohnson · 06/06/2026 09:51

TheTealHiker · 06/06/2026 09:45

That sounds like the person in court for killing someone by drunken driving -

"It was only ONE little drink over the limit Your Honour ! "

The Courts are full of people who never thought they'd be there....

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I'm less bothered about an adult buying a scratch card than a drunk driver killing someone.

What a weird comparison to make!

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 06/06/2026 09:50

No it isn’t. At all.

TheTealHiker · 06/06/2026 09:50

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 06/06/2026 09:46

A dead person and a single scratch card aren’t remotely comparable, are they?

You must know that’s a witless thing to say.

No, but the principle is.

Maybe try and think outside the box?

TheTealHiker · 06/06/2026 09:48

Lentilcakes · 06/06/2026 09:46

😂 buying a scratchcard isn’t a crime.

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Not if you are an adult, it isn't.

thisfilmisboring123 · 06/06/2026 09:48

TheTealHiker · 06/06/2026 09:45

That sounds like the person in court for killing someone by drunken driving -

"It was only ONE little drink over the limit Your Honour ! "

The Courts are full of people who never thought they'd be there....

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Yup, exactly the same. 🙄

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 06/06/2026 09:46

A dead person and a single scratch card aren’t remotely comparable, are they?

You must know that’s a witless thing to say.

Lentilcakes · 06/06/2026 09:46

TheTealHiker · 06/06/2026 09:45

That sounds like the person in court for killing someone by drunken driving -

"It was only ONE little drink over the limit Your Honour ! "

The Courts are full of people who never thought they'd be there....

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😂 buying a scratchcard isn’t a crime.

Lentilcakes · 06/06/2026 09:45

One scratch are win isn’t going to scar her for life as a gambler. I bought scratch cards as a mini present for older teens/young adults at a gathering - yes they were all pretty much old enough to buy one - one of them won a fiver and it was all a bit of a laugh.
im sure I was with then young DC and I bought a scratchcard occasionally and they were interested in it. Neither do them now and nor do I!

TheTealHiker · 06/06/2026 09:45

thisfilmisboring123 · 06/06/2026 09:38

Oh for goodness sake.
It’s ONE scratchcard!

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That sounds like the person in court for killing someone by drunken driving -

"It was only ONE little drink over the limit Your Honour ! "

The Courts are full of people who never thought they'd be there....

BauhausOfEliott · 06/06/2026 09:43

It’s not really any different from letting a kid buy a raffle ticket at a school fete, in my opinion. Pretty harmless to get bought a ticket by someone else.

Of course some people object to gambling of any kind on principle, and that’s fine; they don’t have to do it. But that doesn’t mean it’s their place to berate other people for it. It’s absolutely none of your friend’s business if you buy your kid a lottery ticket.

thisfilmisboring123 · 06/06/2026 09:38

StephQ1 · 06/06/2026 09:36

That’s correct and is confirmation that the mother committed a criminal offence.

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Oh for goodness sake.
It’s ONE scratchcard!

StephQ1 · 06/06/2026 09:36

JennyBG · 05/06/2026 21:22

I should imagine the mum 'is' over 18 if her daughter is 13 🤷🏼‍♀️ The daughter didn’t buy the ticket herself, her mother simply gifted it.

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That’s correct and is confirmation that the mother committed a criminal offence.

StephQ1 · 06/06/2026 09:33

concertinacornflake · 06/06/2026 03:05

I did not know the age limit had changed until I read this thread (wouldn't buy for a child anyway, but didn't know it had been adjusted). Is it an underage player, a purchaser or a seller who is breaking the law if a parent buys for a child, as in the op?

Edited

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The purchaser commits a criminal offence if they buy on behalf of a minor.

The vendor only commits an offence if they knew or had reason to believe the purchase by the adult was intended for a minor.

The child hasn’t committed an offence.

StephQ1 · 06/06/2026 09:30

Cheersminesalargeone · 05/06/2026 10:11

Surely this is no different to buying a ticket on the tombola stall at the village/school fete, or a raffle.

It is. The former is a criminal offence, the latter isn’t.

ChoosingMyOwnRandomUsername · 06/06/2026 08:50

TheTealHiker · 06/06/2026 08:40

Well, some retail workers do care, and so they should.

I spent some time working in Retail and I know if an employee sells age-restricted items to the wrong age-group the seller can be prosecuted.

https://noidnosale.com/age-restricted-products-and-services-in-the-uk

Some people think they can break the law with impunity and that it's 'no big deal', until of course, it bites them on the bum...

Show quote history

Of course retail workers care.

You'd have to be a total moron to sell scratchcards to children, obviously.

From the pov of a parent allowing or not allowing their underage child to have a scratchcard though...'the law' is pretty irrelevent to most people's decision ime.

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 06/06/2026 08:46

concertinacornflake · 06/06/2026 08:41

Why would the friend be jealous? That makes no sense.

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Jealous of the hundred nicker.

Sparrowsandbudgies · 06/06/2026 08:45

I’ve done scratch cards for Christmas (as an extra present / thing) with my dd and ds (now aged 13 and 23) since they were about 8. It’s not a big deal. We have a family rule that if we ever win anything over £500 it has to be shared. The most anyone has ever won is £50 (Ds when he was 10ish). I don’t see it as any different to playing Bingo with my Gran at the seaside when I was little.

Mischance · 06/06/2026 08:45

At 13 she is old enough to know that her win was a massive fluke and not to become a gambling addict - it was just a bit of fun.

AlexaStopAlexaNo · 06/06/2026 08:45

It’s not appropriate for 13 year old to gamble.

concertinacornflake · 06/06/2026 08:41

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 06/06/2026 08:33

It’s absolutely fine. Your mate sounds jealous and a bit ridiculous.

Let your daughter (see what i did there!) enjoy her good luck and spending her winnings wherever she likes.

Why would the friend be jealous? That makes no sense.

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 06/06/2026 08:41

Presumably, the OP will claim the winnings herself. She isn’t a buffoon, I’m sure.