The widow of a gambling addict who took his own life will take legal action against the UK’s regulator after she declared it “unfit for purpose.” [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Regulator blasted

The widow of a man with a gambling addiction who took his own life is planning legal action against the UK’s gambling regulator.

Annie Ashton, 43, has criticized the Gambling Commission after it said that Betfair would not be investigated or punished for its role in the death of her husband, Luke, despite the operator being named in the coroner’s verdict.

Speaking to The Guardian, Ashton said: “More people will die because they’re not actually looking at the people that it’s destroying.” 

I absolutely dread to think what someone would have to go through for it to be investigated.”

“I just think they’re just unfit for purpose. They should not be the regulatory body. They’re too tied up with the industry. I absolutely dread to think what someone would have to go through for it to be investigated.”

Failure of prevention

The case was the first in which a gambling company had been involved in an inquest. Flutter, which owns Betfair, was named an “interested person” in proceedings, meaning the company may be called on to give evidence and provide material.

began placing more than 100 bets per day, but was not flagged by Betfair’s automated systems

Luke had been on furlough from his job when he began placing more than 100 bets per day, but was not flagged by Betfair’s automated systems as a potential problem gambler.

The coroner, Ivan Cartwright, said that Betfair did not “interact or intervene with Luke in any meaningful way” before he took his own life, eventually ruling that a “gambling disorder” had been a contributing factor in his death.

After the inquest, it was also revealed that Betfair had been placed under “special measures” during the time of Luke’s death, with the bookmaker required to immediately take action to avoid breaching any regulations. However, neither Betfair nor the Gambling Commission revealed this during the inquest.

Betfair was issued a “prevention of future deaths” notice by the coroner, but after the verdict, Ashton asked the Gambling Commission if it would open its own investigation into Betfair or if the operator would face any sanctions. The regulator responded that it was not its responsibility to look at individual cases.

Commission responds

A statement in response from the Gambling Commission stated: “When we became aware of Luke’s death in July 2021 it became apparent that his gambling occurred during a time in which the operator had been in special measures because of social responsibility and anti-money laundering issues.

“As a result of the special measures process the operator divested £635,123 to charities furthering the national strategy to reduce gambling harms. Taking into account the action we have already taken and that new regulatory requirements are now in place, it was considered that no further action would be taken against the licensee in respect of this matter.”

Following Luke’s death, Ashton now works with the betting charity Gambling With Lives, and will seek to take legal action against the regulator.

“You get the sense that the Gambling Commission is there to give support and protect the gambling operators,” said Ashton, “more so, in my opinion, than the consumer, which really does then lead into the question of whether this regulator is fit for purpose when you’ve got deaths that are occurring under their watch.”