Luke Ashton: Betfair criticised by coroner over gambler's death
29 June 2023
ByDan Martin
BBC News
A coroner has actually discovered Betfair must have done more to help a gaming addict before he eliminated himself.
Luke Ashton, 40, from Leicester, passed away in April 2021 after developing huge financial obligations wagering online.
An inquest heard he staked larger amounts chasing his losses in the weeks before his death.
Coroner Ivan Cartwright said he was concerned Betfair did not meaningfully engage or step in when Mr Ashton's betting activity surged.
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 been wagering more than 100 times a day, including early in the early morning and late in the evening when his partner was asleep.
He positioned 1,229 bets in March 2021 and on one day of that month alone he transferred ₤ 2,500.
Mr Cartwright said: "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 step in or connect with Mr Ashton in any significant way.
"Betfair might have done more in the appropriate duration and must have done more in what I find was a vital period between late January and April 2021.
"Opportunities were missed that could potentially have altered the outcome for Luke."
Mr Ashton's body was discovered in a rented flat near Mexborough, South Yorkshire, after his wife reported him missing and his phone was tracked using an app.
Betfair was contacted us to bet9ja's welcome offer proof to the inquest as Mr Cartwright sought to establish whether the company's actions added to Mr Ashton's death.
Lawyers for Mr Ashton's household said the business must have recognized him as a problem gambler and taken "more and stronger steps" to keep him from damage.
Betfair informed the inquest it utilized a computer system algorithm to keep track of customer wagering which Mr Ashton was deemed "low threat".
The company said its algorithm discovered absolutely nothing in his betting patterns that would set off human intervention that may have restricted his gaming.
Instead Mr Ashton was sent out 8 automated and generic "awareness" emails by the company.
Tragic result
Mr Cartwright said he was "perplexed" the algorithm did not flag Mr Ashton as a problem bettor.
He said had that took place there were opportunities to get help for Mr Ashton who had actually had actually confessed his gaming problem to his other half in 2019 however later concealed the truth he had actually begun wagering again.
Richard Clarke, the handling director of customer relations for Flutter UKI - Betfair's parent company - provided proof to the hearing and was asked by the the yohaig code family's legal representatives if he felt the business must have done more.
Mr Clarke said: "We have looked really thoroughly at the actions we took and we are positive we fulfilled the yohaig code regulative standard at the time.
"As a business, undoubtedly looking at the tragic outcome here, I would like to have actually done more."
He stated Betfair had introduced even more safeguards because 2021, including deposit limits from consumers returning from self-exclusion durations and monetary vulnerability checks, but they was available in before the company 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 said he would prepare an Avoidance of Future Deaths Report with suggestions based on the "complex and uncommon case".
After the hearing, Annie Ashton stated: "The coroner's conclusion validates what I have actually always believed that betting triggered Luke's death.
"It vindicates what I have actually argued all along that gaming is harmful, destroys households and triggers suicide."
She said she hoped the inquest's findings would urgently trigger betting companies to better communicate with clients.
She stated Betfair's assessment of her partner as "low risk" was not fit for function.
Mrs Ashton explained her partner as a "bright delighted and bubbly person" who made good friends quickly.
"As a hubby and a daddy, Luke was nothing except encouraging and happy," she included.
"He was a real rock to us all however in reality he masked his own pain to protect us from what he was going through."
Ian Brown, president of Flutter UKI, stated: "We want to repeat our genuine acknowledgements to Mrs Ashton and her family. We are genuinely sorry for their loss.
"Flutter UKI is devoted to doing the right thing and developing an environment for consumers to enjoy our products in a safe and sustainable way.
"Over the previous three years we have actually made substantial changes to our controls, consisting of mandatory deposit limitations for clients who go back to our sites after a period of self-exclusion.
"We hold ourselves to the absolute greatest standards in the industry and we will, obviously, incorporate extra learnings from this terrible case into our systems and processes."
If you have actually been impacted by any of the concerns in this story, you can go to the BBC Action Line for help.
Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, external, on Twitter, external, or on Instagram, external. Send your story concepts to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk, external.
Leicester
Algorithm 'missed gambling addict's red flags'
16 June 2023
Betfair said gambler was 'low risk' before he passed away
15 June 2023
Wife blames gambling regression for other half's death
14 June 2023
