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

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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?

Probably not going to destroy her life but it is illegal. You need to be 18 to buy, play or claim a win from scratchcards. Including being given as a gift. At least you know for next time!

I see the fun police are out in force..

Do you understand that some people get addicted and normalization of this behaviour is part of why that happens? Its no more harmless than alcohol. Yes, many people can manage to use it responsibly. But a significant number develop massive problems which can ruin, not only their lives, but the lives of people around them. Is not being joyless to express concern over that.

Congratulations 🎊 Bit of fun no big deal.

I work in this area. Struggling due to ‘normalisation of this behaviour’ is from repeated behavioural patterns, not a one-off incident such as a scratch card; trust me!!!

You bought it, the card won, enjoy! Xxx

Dear Me.
I am gob smacked by some of the mean, plain silly, po face and woke posts about your this subject.

You bought the card for your daughter 13, as a present..Great dea and it was only £5. And she was lucky and won £100. Good for her. Hope she enjoys her winnings

Some of these posters seem to think this example is morally reprehensible, and will turn your daughter into a bad person and compulsive gambler overnight.

Do you have a branch of Gamblers Anonymous near to where you live.Just in case?

When.l was a child. Dad used to give us 2/6d . Twelve and a half pence to have a bet on the Grand National every year..We had goodbfamily fun watching the race on TV .

We never once won anything. Bur it is a great family memory.

I do agree gambling can get out of control for some people.And can have serious and sad consequences

But please give people a break. To have a bit of fun now the then to enjoy a flutter.

I think so. I get my kids a scratch card in their stocking (teenagers).

I suppose the risk is that a £100 win might tempt them to try cards as a way out of debt in the future. I'm not convinced my DD would be totally unaffected by a win like that, age 14.

That said, I reckon the comments about not worrying due to it being a one-off are also valid.

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?

Omg I can imagine the excitement when she realised she won £100. She’ll definitely remember this birthday.

Everyone needs to lighten up, it’s a one off with a happy result.

As a one of bit of fun l have no idea why anyone would get uptight about it . Raffles and lucky dips and competitions are part of life and l doubt you’ve set up a gambling problem in a 13 yr old who wouldn’t be able to buy scratch cards anyway ! When l was young my dad used to let us pick a horse on the Grand National every year . it never won and eventually we weren’t even interested in taking part.

That's all irrelevant as it could be breaking the law -

www.tssw.org.uk/work-areas/national-lottery-law-change/

See my post at 7.33 am.

It’s like saying eating a slice of chocolate cake is a slippery slope to binge eating the whole cake. It’s a silly comment and just ignore. Most behaviours are about the intention and extent / amount. The odd scratch card is harmless fun.

But surely you can talk to your child about it. And say how wonderfully lucky it is. And usually you don’t get anything.

Honestly though...who actually cares?! 😂

I have no issues with the odd scratchcard for a child. Other people do, fine, everyone's different. I suspect very few people base that decision on 'the law'.

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.

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...

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

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

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

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.

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.

Jealous of the hundred nicker.

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.