The National Lottery has changed who can buy tickets and scratchcards.
People under 18 will be banned from playing the National Lottery and purchasing scratchcards.
This is due to the minimum age for buying these products rising from 16 to 18, reports the Mirror.
Those aged under 18 have been barred from online gambling since April, but those aged 16 or over have still been able to buy lottery tickets or scratchcards in physical stores.
READ MORE: Mum blown away after watching gang of teens approach woman
This applies to Lotto, Set For Life and EuroMillions tickets sold by the National Lottery.
This follows the launch of a major review of gambling laws to protect children and vulnerable people from getting addicted to gambling .
Nigel Huddleston, minister for sport, tourism and heritage, said the new restrictions will help ensure that lottery is not a "gateway to problem gambling" - especially with the growth in online gaming.
A cross-party group of MPs has been campaigning to prevent vulnerable 16 and 17-year-olds getting into gambling.
They claim that allowing youngsters to buy lottery tickets, scratchcards and play online games acts as a gateway to much harder forms of gambling.
Campaigner Matt Zarb-Cousin, director of Clean Up Gambling, previously told The Mirror: “Britain is the only country in the world that allows children to gamble.
“The loophole that lets under-18s buy lottery tickets has been exploited to peddle rapid instant win games to children, which act as a gateway to harder forms of gambling.
“These games have more in common with online casinos than lotteries. The government should increase the minimum age to 18 as soon as possible.”
Lottery operator Camelot has not opposed the change.
Boss Nigel Railton said: “For 25 years the age has been 16 so it is probably a good time to look at it.”
A spokesperson for Camelot said, “Now that a decision has been made to raise the age to 18 by October 2021, we’ll be doing everything we can to implement all of the changes that will be necessary as quickly as possible, while ensuring that we maintain the very high standards demanded of the National Lottery.”
