Trust indicator
Age Verification
Entrants confirm they are over 18 before they can enter, so only adults take part.
What it is
Entrants actively confirm they are adults before they can enter — either by giving a date of birth or by ticking an explicit "I am 18 or over" confirmation — rather than the age limit only being stated in your terms.
Why we track it
Prize competitions are for over-18s. Making entrants confirm their age as a real step protects young people and shows regulators and entrants alike that the operator takes its legal responsibilities seriously. It also matters for data protection: gating at registration — before you collect any personal details — stops a child signing up, handing over their information, and then being marketed to even if they never place an order.
How to earn it
- Ask entrants to confirm they are over 18 — a date-of-birth field or an explicit "I am 18 or over" checkbox both count.
- Gate account registration itself, before you collect any personal details — not only at the payment step. Checking age only at checkout means a child could still register, hand over their data and receive marketing without ever ordering.
- For guest entries with no account, apply the same confirmation at checkout so nobody can enter without confirming their age.
- Don't rely on a line in the terms alone; the confirmation should be an active step the entrant has to complete.
This is one of several weighted indicators behind a site's letter grade (A+ to F). We don't publish the exact points or thresholds, but earning more indicators — and avoiding hostile T&C clauses — moves a site up the scale. See the full method on our How We Rate page.
Our ratings are based on publicly observable criteria and data analysis. This is not a guarantee of legitimacy, prize fulfilment, or financial security. We are not affiliated with any competition site. Always do your own research before entering competitions or spending money.