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

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

29 June 2023

ByDan Martin
BBC News

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

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

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

Coroner Ivan Cartwright stated he was worried Betfair did not meaningfully communicate or step in when Mr Ashton’s gambling activity spiked.

He concluded gambling disorder was a cause of Mr Ashton’s death.

Missed opportunities

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

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

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

“The operator did not step in or engage with Mr Ashton in any significant method.

“Betfair might have done more in the relevant period and needs to have done more in what I find was a turning point between late January and April 2021.

“Opportunities were missed that might perhaps have changed the outcome for Luke.”

Mr Ashton’s body was found in a rented flat near Mexborough, South Yorkshire, after his better half reported him missing and his phone was tracked utilizing an app.

Betfair was called to provide proof to the inquest as Mr Cartwright sought to develop whether the firm’s actions added to Mr Ashton’s death.

Lawyers for Mr Ashton’s household said the company should have identified him as an issue gambler and taken “more and stronger steps” to keep him from damage.

Betfair told the inquest it used a computer system algorithm to keep an eye on customer wagering and that Mr Ashton was deemed “low risk”.

The company said its algorithm discovered nothing in his wagering patterns that would set off human intervention that may have restricted his gaming.

Instead Mr Ashton was sent out eight automated and generic “awareness” e-mails by the business.

Tragic result

Mr Cartwright said he was “perplexed” the algorithm did not flag Mr Ashton as an issue bettor.

He said had that happened there were opportunities to get assist for Mr Ashton who had had admitted his gambling problem to his better half in 2019 but later on concealed the truth he had actually started wagering once again.

Richard Clarke, the handling director of customer relations for Flutter UKI – Betfair’s parent business – offered proof to the hearing and was asked by the the family’s legal representatives if he felt the company ought to have done more.

Mr Clarke stated: “We have actually looked really thoroughly at the actions we took and we are confident we met the regulatory requirement at the time.

“As a business, obviously looking at the tragic outcome here, I would love to have done more.”

He said Betfair had actually presented even more safeguards considering that 2021, including deposit limitations from consumers returning from self-exclusion durations and monetary vulnerability checks, but they can be found in before the company was warned of Mr Ashton’s death.

Mr Cartwright pertained 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 on the “complex and uncommon case”.

After the hearing, Annie Ashton said: “The coroner’s conclusion confirms what I have actually always thought that betting caused Luke’s death.

“It what I have argued the whole time that betting is devastating, destroys households and triggers suicide.”

She said she hoped the inquest’s findings would urgently prompt betting companies to better interact with consumers.

She stated Betfair’s evaluation of her husband as “low risk” was not fit for function.

Mrs Ashton described her other half as a “intense pleased and bubbly individual” who made buddies quickly.

“As a spouse and a father, Luke was nothing except encouraging and proud,” she included.

“He was a genuine rock to all of us but in truth he masked his own discomfort to safeguard 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 genuinely sorry for their loss.

“Flutter UKI is dedicated to doing the ideal thing and developing an environment for customers to enjoy our items in a safe and sustainable way.

“Over the yohaig code past three years we have made considerable changes to our controls, consisting of mandatory deposit limits for customers who return to our sites after a period of self-exclusion.

“We hold ourselves to the outright greatest requirements in the market and we will, naturally, integrate extra knowings from this promotion code awful case into our systems and processes.”

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