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 help a gambling addict before he eliminated himself.

Luke Ashton, 40, from Leicester, passed away in April 2021 after developing up huge 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 concerned Betfair did not meaningfully connect or step in when Mr Ashton's gambling activity increased.

He concluded betting disorder was a cause of Mr Ashton's death.

Missed chances

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

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

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

"the yohaig code operator did not intervene or communicate with Mr Ashton in any meaningful way.

"Betfair could have done more in the appropriate duration and needs to have done more in what I find was an essential duration in between late January and April 2021.

"Opportunities were missed that might potentially have changed the result for Luke."

Mr Ashton's body was discovered 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 give evidence to the inquest as Mr Cartwright sought to establish whether the firm's actions contributed to Mr Ashton's death.

Lawyers for Mr Ashton's household said the business ought to 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 algorithm to monitor client wagering and that Mr Ashton was deemed "low risk".

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

Instead Mr Ashton was sent out eight 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 stated had that occurred there were opportunities to get assist for Mr Ashton who had had actually admitted his betting problem to his better half in 2019 but later on concealed the fact he had actually begun wagering once again.

Richard Clarke, the managing director of client relations for Flutter UKI - Betfair's parent business - offered proof to the hearing and was asked by the the family's attorneys if he felt the business ought to have done more.

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

"As a company, clearly taking a look at the terrible result here, I would love to have done more."

He stated Betfair had presented further safeguards given that 2021, including deposit limits from clients returning from self-exclusion periods and monetary vulnerability checks, but they can be found in before the firm was warned of Mr Ashton's death.

Mr Cartwright concerned 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 upon the "complex and uncommon case".

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

"It vindicates what I have actually argued the whole time that gambling is damaging, damages families and causes suicide."

She said she hoped the inquest's findings would urgently prompt gaming companies to better communicate with customers.

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

Mrs Ashton explained her spouse as a "brilliant pleased and bubbly individual" who made good friends quickly.

"As a spouse and a dad, Luke was nothing short of supportive and proud," she added.

"He was a genuine rock to all of us but in reality he masked his own pain to safeguard us from what he was going through."

Ian Brown, primary executive of Flutter UKI, stated: "We wish to reiterate our sincere condolences to Mrs Ashton and her household. We are truly sorry for their loss.

"Flutter UKI is dedicated to doing the best thing and producing an environment for consumers to enjoy our items in a safe and sustainable way.

"Over the past three years we have made substantial modifications to our controls, including necessary deposit limitations for consumers who return to our sites 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 promotion code awful case into our systems and procedures."

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