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

29 June 2023

ByDan Martin
BBC News

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

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

An inquest heard he staked bigger amounts 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 gambling activity increased.

He concluded betting condition was a reason for 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, consisting of early in the morning and late in the evening when his partner was asleep.

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

Mr Cartwright said: "He was examined 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 meaningful way.

"Betfair might have done more in the pertinent period and should have done more in what I find was a crucial duration between late January and April 2021.

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

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

Betfair was contacted us to provide proof to the yohaig code inquest as Mr Cartwright looked for to develop whether the company's actions added to Mr Ashton's death.

Lawyers for Mr Ashton's household said the business ought to have recognized him as an issue bettor and taken "more and more powerful actions" to keep him from harm.

Betfair informed the inquest it used a computer system algorithm to keep an eye on client betting and that Mr Ashton was deemed "low risk".

the yohaig code company stated its algorithm found nothing in his betting patterns that would activate human intervention that might have restricted his gaming.

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

Tragic outcome

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

He said had that happened there were chances to get help for Mr Ashton who had had confessed his betting problem to his better half in 2019 however later on concealed the truth he had actually started wagering again.

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

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

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

He stated Betfair had introduced further safeguards given that 2021, including deposit limits from clients returning from self-exclusion periods and monetary vulnerability checks, however they can be found in before the firm was made aware 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 recommendations based on the "complex and uncommon case".

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

"It vindicates what I have actually argued all along that gambling is damaging, destroys families and causes suicide."

She said she hoped the inquest's findings would urgently trigger gaming companies to much better communicate with consumers.

She stated Betfair's assessment of her spouse as "low danger" was not fit for purpose.

Mrs Ashton described her husband as a "intense pleased and bubbly individual" who made friends easily.

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

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

Ian Brown, president of Flutter UKI, stated: "We want to repeat our sincere acknowledgements to Mrs Ashton and her family. We are truly sorry for their loss.

"Flutter UKI is devoted to doing the right thing and creating an environment for clients to enjoy our products in a safe and sustainable method.

"Over the past 3 years we have made considerable changes to our controls, consisting of obligatory deposit limits for consumers who return to our sites after a period of self-exclusion.

"We hold ourselves to the absolute greatest standards in the market and we will, naturally, incorporate additional learnings from this promotion code terrible case into our systems and procedures."

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