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

29 June 2023

ByDan Martin
BBC News

A coroner has actually found Betfair ought to have done more to assist a gambling addict before he killed himself.

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

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

Coroner Ivan Cartwright said he was worried Betfair did not meaningfully engage or intervene when Mr Ashton's betting activity spiked.

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

Missed opportunities

The inquest, at Leicester Town Hall, heard before he died, Mr Ashton had actually been betting more than 100 times a day, including early in the morning and late in the evening when his better half was asleep.

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

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

"The operator did not intervene or communicate with Mr Ashton in any meaningful method.

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

"Opportunities were missed that might perhaps have actually altered the outcome for Luke."

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

Betfair was called to provide proof to the inquest as Mr Cartwright sought to develop whether the company's actions contributed to Mr Ashton's death.

Lawyers for Mr Ashton's household stated the business ought to have recognized him as a problem gambler and taken "more and more powerful actions" to keep him from harm.

Betfair informed the inquest it utilized a computer system algorithm to monitor consumer wagering which Mr Ashton was considered "low danger".

The company stated its algorithm discovered nothing in his betting patterns that would activate human intervention that may have limited his gambling.

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

Tragic outcome

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

He said had that took place there were opportunities to get assist for Mr Ashton who had actually had actually confessed his gambling problem to his other half in 2019 but later on concealed the truth he had actually started betting once again.

Richard Clarke, the handling director of client relations for Flutter UKI - Betfair's moms and dad business - offered evidence to the hearing and was asked by the the family's attorneys if he felt the company needs to have done more.

Mr Clarke stated: "We have actually looked extremely thoroughly at the actions we took and we are positive we met the regulatory standard at the time.

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

He stated Betfair had actually introduced even more safeguards given that 2021, consisting of deposit limits from clients returning from self-exclusion durations and financial vulnerability checks, however they came in before the company was warned of Mr Ashton's death.

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

He said he would prepare a Prevention of Future Deaths Report with suggestions based upon the "complex and uncommon case".

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

"It vindicates what I have argued all along that gambling is harmful, damages households and triggers suicide."

She said she hoped the inquest's findings would urgently prompt gaming firms to better engage with consumers.

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

Mrs Ashton described her other half as a "bright pleased and bubbly individual" who made pals quickly.

"As a partner and a dad, Luke was nothing except encouraging and happy," she added.

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

Ian Brown, president of Flutter UKI, said: "We wish to restate our sincere condolences to Mrs Ashton and her household. We are genuinely sorry for their loss.

"Flutter UKI is committed to doing the right thing and producing an environment for customers to enjoy our products in a safe and sustainable way.

"Over the past three years we have actually made substantial modifications to our controls, consisting of mandatory deposit limits for clients who go back to our sites after a period of .

"We hold ourselves to the outright highest standards in the industry and we will, of course, incorporate additional learnings from this promotion code awful case into our systems and procedures."

If you have been impacted by any of the issues in this promotion code story, you can check out the BBC Action Line for aid.

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