GameScorekeeper launches esports age verification tool

Esports betting provider GameScorekeeper has launched a new service that will allow operators to lower the risk of taking bets on events where the majority of participants are under 18.

The Player Age Service is based on a register of the age of the esports athletes, which is linked to the players’ team and enables operators to exclude under-18 athletes or teams.

The service can be used to manually or automatically suspend wagers on such events, with GameScorekeeper saying that this will help operators to abide by local and regional regulations.

Both Spain and Sweden have introduced laws that ban betting on players under the age of 18 or on teams where the majority of players are under 18.

“In football, it’s relatively easy to pinpoint most under-18 teams, but in esports, many teams field a mix of under-18 and over-18 athletes, which has made our clients increasingly interested in a service that makes the athletes’ age transparent and actionable,” GameScorekeeper founder and chief executive Felix Klastrup explained.

“The betting industry will go a long way to ensure compliance and with this service it’s relatively easy for them.”

Betway is the first online gambling operator to go live with the new solution, with its head of esports, Adam Savinson, saying the solution will help ensure that the business is operating in line with regulations.

“We are committed to providing the widest selection of markets on esports while at the same time ensuring all bets live up to our strict responsible policies and comply with regulation on athletes’ age,” Savinson said. “The Player Age Service from GameScorekeeper ensures that we can maintain this efficiently.”