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

29 June 2023

ByDan Martin
BBC News

A coroner has 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 debts betting online.

An inquest heard he staked bigger 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 gaming activity increased.

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

Missed chances

The inquest, at Leicester City center, heard before he passed away, Mr Ashton had actually been betting more than 100 times a day, including early in the early morning and late in the evening when his spouse 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 examined as being a low-risk gambler 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 could have done more in the pertinent duration and should have done more in what I find was a turning point between late January and April 2021.

"Opportunities were missed out on 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 other half reported him missing out on and his phone was tracked using an app.

Betfair was called to offer evidence to the inquest as Mr Cartwright looked for to establish 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 an issue gambler and taken "more and more powerful steps" to keep him from damage.

Betfair informed the inquest it used a computer algorithm to monitor customer betting which Mr Ashton was deemed "low threat".

The business stated its algorithm discovered absolutely nothing in his wagering patterns that would set off human intervention that may have restricted his gambling.

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

Tragic result

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

He stated had that took place there were chances to get help for Mr Ashton who had actually had admitted his gaming problem to his better half in 2019 but later hid the truth he had actually begun betting again.

Richard Clarke, the handling director of consumer relations for Flutter UKI - Betfair's parent business - gave proof to the hearing and was asked by the the family's attorneys if he felt the company must have done more.

Mr Clarke stated: "We have actually looked extremely carefully at the actions we took and we are confident we fulfilled the regulative standard at the time.

"As a company, certainly looking at the tragic result here, I would like to have done more."

He said Betfair had actually introduced further safeguards because 2021, including deposit limitations from clients returning from self-exclusion periods and financial vulnerability checks, but they was available in before the firm 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 said: "The coroner's conclusion confirms what I have always thought that gambling caused Luke's death.

"It vindicates what I have actually argued all along that betting is devastating, damages households and triggers suicide."

She said she hoped the inquest's findings would urgently prompt betting firms to much better connect with consumers.

She said Betfair's assessment of her hubby as "low threat" was not fit for purpose.

Mrs Ashton explained her partner as a "bright happy and bubbly person" who made friends quickly.

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

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

Ian Brown, primary executive of Flutter UKI, said: "We want to restate our sincere condolences to Mrs Ashton and her family. We are genuinely 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 actually made significant modifications to our controls, consisting of necessary deposit limits for clients who return to our websites after a period of self-exclusion.

"We hold ourselves to the outright greatest requirements in the market and we will, of course, include additional knowings from this promotion code tragic case into our systems and procedures."

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