Luke Ashton: Betfair Criticised by Coroner Over Gambler's Death

Luke Ashton: Betfair criticised by coroner over gambler's death

29 June 2023

ByDan Martin
BBC News

A coroner has found Betfair needs to have done more to help a gambling addict before he killed himself.

Luke Ashton, 40, from Leicester, died in April 2021 after developing substantial financial obligations betting online.

An inquest heard he staked larger sums chasing his losses in the weeks before his death.

Coroner Ivan Cartwright said he was concerned Betfair did not meaningfully communicate or step in when Mr Ashton's betting activity surged.

He concluded gambling condition was a cause of Mr Ashton's death.

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Missed chances

The inquest, at Leicester Town Hall, heard before he passed away, Mr Ashton had been wagering more than 100 times a day, including early in the early morning and late during the night when his spouse was asleep.

He placed 1,229 bets in March 2021 and on one day of that month alone he deposited ₤ 2,500.

Mr Cartwright stated: "He was assessed as being a low-risk bettor although his activity was more extensive in the 10 weeks prior to his death.

"The operator did not intervene or interact with Mr Ashton in any significant method.

"Betfair could have done more in the pertinent duration and must have done more in what I find was a turning point in between late January and April 2021.

"Opportunities were missed out on that might potentially have actually altered the result for Luke."

Mr Ashton's body was discovered in a rented flat near Mexborough, South Yorkshire, after his spouse reported him missing out on and his phone was tracked using an app.

Betfair was contacted us to offer proof to the inquest as Mr Cartwright sought to establish whether the company's actions contributed to Mr Ashton's death.

Lawyers for Mr Ashton's household said the company needs to have recognized him as a problem gambler and taken "more and stronger actions" to keep him from damage.

Betfair told the inquest it utilized a computer system algorithm to monitor customer wagering which Mr Ashton was considered "low risk".

The business stated its algorithm found nothing in his wagering patterns that would trigger human intervention that may have limited his gambling.

Instead Mr Ashton was sent eight automated and generic "awareness" e-mails by the company.

Tragic result

Mr Cartwright said he was "perplexed" the algorithm did not flag Mr Ashton as a problem gambler.

He stated had that took place there were opportunities to get assist for Mr Ashton who had actually had actually admitted his betting problem to his wife in 2019 however later on concealed the reality he had begun betting again.

Richard Clarke, the managing director of client relations for Flutter UKI - Betfair's parent business - provided evidence to the hearing and was asked by the the household's attorneys if he felt the business ought to have done more.

Mr Clarke stated: "We have actually looked really carefully at the actions we took and we are confident we fulfilled the regulatory requirement at the time.

"As a company, undoubtedly looking at the tragic result here, I would love to have actually done more."

He stated Betfair had introduced further safeguards since 2021, including deposit limitations from clients returning from self-exclusion durations and monetary vulnerability checks, however they was available in before the firm was warned of Mr Ashton's death.

Mr Cartwright pertained to a narrative conclusion that Luke passed away as an outcome of his own actions.

He stated he would prepare an Avoidance of Future Deaths Report with suggestions based upon the "complex and uncommon case".

After the hearing, Annie Ashton said: "The coroner's conclusion validates what I have actually always believed that betting caused Luke's death.

"It vindicates what I have argued the whole time that gambling is damaging, damages families and causes suicide."

She stated she hoped the inquest's findings would urgently prompt gaming firms to much better engage with customers.

She said Betfair's assessment of her other half as "low threat" was not fit for purpose.

Mrs Ashton explained her spouse as a "brilliant happy and bubbly individual" who made friends quickly.

"As a partner and a dad, Luke was absolutely nothing except helpful and happy," she included.

"He was a genuine rock to us all but in reality he masked his own discomfort to secure us from what he was going through."

Ian Brown, chief executive of Flutter UKI, said: "We wish to reiterate our genuine condolences to Mrs Ashton and her family. We are truly sorry for their loss.

"Flutter UKI is dedicated to doing the best thing and developing an environment for customers to enjoy our products in a safe and sustainable way.

"Over the past three years we have actually made significant modifications to our controls, including compulsory deposit limitations for customers who return to our websites after a duration of self-exclusion.

"We hold ourselves to the absolute highest requirements in the market and we will, of course, integrate extra learnings from this promotion code terrible case into our systems and processes."

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