Parents in England and Wales are still allowed to smack their children after the Government refused to pass a law making it illegal.
But children's rights groups say they are very disappointed.
The Government was forced to look into the issue of smacking after the European Court of Human Rights ruled Britain had failed to protect a boy whose stepfather beat him with a cane.
'Reasonable' punishment
But the Government said 70% of the members of the public who were asked about smacking said things should stay the way they are.
At the moment, the law says parents are allowed to use "reasonable" punishment to discipline their children.
Scandalous
But this only counts in England and Wales, as the Scottish Executive has already said it will ban smacking of children under three.
But the National Society for the Protection of Children (NSPCC) said it was "scandalous" and that children should have the same right as adults not to be smacked.
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