Atlantic Lottery Corporation is seeking ways in which it could put its system to the test and make sure its players are well-protected from harm. The Crown corporation is currently seeking mystery shoppers that would have to test retail locations on whether or not they are selling lottery tickets to underage individuals.
It should be taken into account that individuals over 19 are allowed to participate in gambling across Atlantic Canada. Protecting underage individuals with easily-impressionable minds from the potential negative impact of gambling is a must for every lottery corporation in Canada. When it comes to the Atlantic provinces, the legal age for gambling is 19 and individuals below that age are prohibited from participating in this type of pastime activity.
Mystery Shoppers Sought
Atlantic Lottery Corp. wants to ensure this is the case which is why it has launched this new campaign seeking mystery shoppers. People at the age of 19 or individuals that appear younger are invited to take a look at the Request for Proposals that was recently published at the Nova Scotia government tenders procurement webpage. A third-party company would be needed for this new project.
It would have to provide individuals aged 19 or older to act as mystery shoppers and put retail locations to the test. It has been pointed out that this is a standard procedure many larger companies employ on a regular basis. Atlantic Lottery Corporation launches its 19+ Retailer Compliance Program once a year, to ensure the policy is respected across the Atlantic provinces.
The entire program is an anonymous checkup of the lottery products sales aiming to improve any weak areas there are. Greg Weston, Spokesperson for Atlantic Lottery Corporation, made it clear that this is a common practice that would be impossible to conduct without a third-party help bringing a group of young people willing to get the job done. This would have to happen in the upcoming weeks.
March 2 Brings Deadline
March 2 is about to see the deadline for this render and companies interested in participating have until then to contact the Crown corporation. Until then the Request for Proposal remains seeking companies for the first time for about a decade. It should be taken into account that the company provider of young people for this mystery shopping campaign is about to see its contract expire in the foreseeable future, which calls for a new one.
Mr. Weston said that the company is planning on filing its application once again ahead of March 2. The procedure itself is about to involve teams including the 19-year-old, an individual under the age of 19, as well as an adult. This would guarantee that all regulations have been taken into account. In response to this announcement, retail locations have expressed their concerns when it comes to the legal age.
Often times individuals appear to look older than they actually are and retail locations end up selling lottery tickets without checking ID first. However, many shops offering the draw-based and instant lottery tickets are ready to welcome any possible test coming their way. In general, mystery shopping has been perceived as a lack of trust in some areas of the world, but Canadian retailers claim they comply with all regulations.
