A large number of Americans believe all sorts of nonsense about the UK

The US is a big place and many Americans never travel anywhere else. Heck, a large number of Americans believe criminals are burning down LA.

You do however have to undergo age verification, but under a much less intrusive process than online (a shop assistant looks at you and guesses, or looks at your ID and does not retain a copy).

Same as buying alcohol or a child ticket on the bus or an old age discount

The Us has even higher limits - many things are banned to many adults. Alcohol, lottery tickets etc.

> The Us has even higher limits - many things are banned to many adults. Alcohol, lottery tickets etc.

Not trying to start an argument, because I could indeed be missing some crucial info here, but what kind of adults aren't allowed to purchase alcohol or lottery tickets in the US?

The most scrutiny I ever got while attempting to purchase either alcohol or lottery tickets in the US was the establishment's employee glancing at my ID (and even that happens less than 1/5 of the time for me).

Much the same way that no one will stop you from buying a knife if you have ID in the UK.

I mean, sure, I never disputed that (because I have zero idea how difficult it is to buy a knife in the UK, and I’ve never even said anything about knives).

My question was about the stricter limits on purchasing alcohol or lottery tickets in the US (which were brought up in the comment I originally replied to), because that was the first time I heard about that. I was curious what those alluded-to limits were, and I still have zero idea.

They're probably referring to the fact that you can buy alcohol at the age of 18 in the UK vs 21 in the US. It's also much more easily accessible, for example, we don't have dry counties or state-run liquor stores.

Bars in the US routinely ID people who are obviously over the age of 21. And then they get weird about foreign passports because...well, because America, I guess. I've sometimes been refused entry despite being clearly over 21 and having my passport with me (or, absurdly, been asked to show another ID, as if a passport wasn't sufficient for buying a beer). Attitudes to IDing people for alcohol are much more pragmatic in the UK.

Generally if you look over 25 in the uk you don’t need ID to prove you are over 18.

In Arizona, 20 year olds aren’t allowed to buy powerball tickets.

As far as IDing to confirm age, I haven’t been IDed in the U.K. since I was 2007. I was IDed in DC last year.

Right, which isn’t really any hassle at all.