An Asda store has suspended selling lottery tickets after a boy bought a scratchcard - despite being 11 years below the legal age limit. Ronnie Retallick, seven, was allowed to purchase the ticket while visiting a branch.
The minimum legal age to buy National Lottery products is 18. Dad James Fletcher-Retallick, 47, was left fuming and complained - prompting lottery operators Camelot to take action.
It is understood the Asda store has been given a three-month lottery suspension, of which one month has already been served. The supermarket chain confirmed National Lottery services at the store in Folkestone, Kent will be "temporarily" unavailable.
James said: "I’m happy it’s been taken seriously now and measures have been put in place to stop it happening again. "I don't want this to happen to another child. I’m impressed with the involvement from Camelot. They acted very quickly and it means the issue is being addressed and hopefully staff will be given better training.
"I just wish the managers had taken more responsibility from the start. It could all have been dealt with very quickly. I think the three months without trading is quite a stiff penalty and reasonable.
"I'm still sad because it's our local store and I’ve still had no direct apology. And staff have a very funny attitude when we go in now."
Ronnie bought the ticket with his pocket money after wandering off during a visit to the supermarket on August 20 last year. Full-time dad James then made a complaint a week later because of a big queue on the night.
He said at the time: "I don’t really agree with gambling. I’m not into smoking and I don’t drink alcohol. Sure, this doesn’t immediately feel as dangerous as say selling a child fireworks. But in the long term it could be just as bad for him."
"Ronnie had no idea that he shouldn't have bought it."
An Asda spokesperson said: "We are committed to selling National Lottery products responsibly and have taken the relevant steps in co-operation with National Lottery operator Camelot to ensure that this doesn't happen again.
"Customers at our Folkestone store will temporarily be unable to use National Lottery services and we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause."
A Camelot spokesperson said: "I can confirm that we have temporarily suspended a retailer in Folkestone from selling National Lottery products following an internal investigation.
"While it wouldn’t be appropriate to go into any further detail, I can tell you that we take matters of propriety very seriously and are committed to running The National Lottery with the utmost integrity.
"Where concerns are raised about the trading practices of any retailer selling National Lottery products, we will investigate them fully.
"However, it’s important to remember that such allegations are very rare – we work with around 44,500 outlets throughout the UK, with millions of transactions taking place every day."
