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

29 June 2023

ByDan Martin
BBC News

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

Luke Ashton, 40, from Leicester, died in April 2021 after constructing up huge debts betting online.

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

Coroner Ivan Cartwright stated he was concerned Betfair did not meaningfully interact or step in when Mr Ashton's betting activity increased.

He concluded gambling disorder was a reason for Mr Ashton's death.

Missed opportunities

The inquest, at Leicester City center, heard before he passed away, Mr Ashton had actually been wagering more than 100 times a day, including early in the morning and late in the evening when his better half was asleep.

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

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

"The operator did not intervene or connect with Mr Ashton in any significant way.

"Betfair could have done more in the relevant period and ought to have done more in what I find was a crucial period between late January and April 2021.

"Opportunities were missed out on that might possibly have actually changed the outcome for Luke."

Mr Ashton's body was discovered in a rented flat near Mexborough, South Yorkshire, after his partner reported him missing 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 yohaig code firm's actions added to Mr Ashton's death.

Lawyers for Mr Ashton's family said the business ought to have identified him as an issue gambler and taken "more and stronger actions" to keep him from harm.

Betfair told the inquest it used a computer system algorithm to keep an eye on client wagering which Mr Ashton was considered "low threat".

The business said its algorithm found absolutely nothing in his wagering patterns that would activate human intervention that might have restricted his gambling.

Instead Mr Ashton was sent 8 automated and generic "awareness" emails by the company.

Tragic outcome

Mr Cartwright stated he was "perplexed" the algorithm did not flag Mr Ashton as an issue bettor.

He stated had that happened there were opportunities to get help for Mr Ashton who had actually had admitted his betting issue to his better half in 2019 however later concealed the reality he had actually started wagering again.

Richard Clarke, the handling director of customer relations for Flutter UKI - Betfair's moms and dad business - gave proof to the hearing and was asked by the the family's legal representatives if he felt the company needs to have done more.

Mr Clarke said: "We have actually looked extremely carefully at the actions we took and we are confident we met the regulatory requirement at the time.

"As a business, obviously taking a look at the tragic outcome here, I would love to have actually done more."

He said Betfair had actually introduced even more safeguards since 2021, including deposit limitations from consumers returning from self-exclusion durations and financial vulnerability checks, but they came in before the company was made aware of Mr Ashton's death.

Mr Cartwright came to a narrative conclusion that Luke passed away as a result of his own actions.

He stated he would prepare a Prevention of Future Deaths Report with recommendations based upon the "complex and unusual case".

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

"It vindicates what I have argued the whole time that betting is destructive, destroys households and causes suicide."

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

She stated Betfair's evaluation of her husband as "low danger" was not fit for function.

Mrs Ashton explained her other half as a "bright pleased and bubbly person" who made friends quickly.

"As a husband and a dad, Luke was absolutely nothing brief of encouraging and proud," she included.

"He was a to all of us but in truth he masked his own pain to protect us from what he was going through."

Ian Brown, primary executive of Flutter UKI, stated: "We wish to reiterate our genuine acknowledgements to Mrs Ashton and her family. We are genuinely sorry for their loss.

"Flutter UKI is committed to doing the best thing and creating an environment for consumers to enjoy our items in a safe and sustainable method.

"Over the past 3 years we have made significant changes to our controls, consisting of obligatory deposit limits for clients who return to our websites after a duration of self-exclusion.

"We hold ourselves to the absolute highest requirements in the industry and we will, obviously, incorporate additional learnings from this terrible case into our systems and procedures."

If you have actually been impacted by any of the problems in this story, you can go to the BBC Action Line for assistance.

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