Coroners Under Fire by Families of Gambling Addiction Victims

Excessive gambling can often lead to harm and push some people into unlawful actions. In some cases, gambling addicts may even consider suicide, raising concerns about the detrimental impact of the activity.

Now, a newly released report looked into the impact of gambling-related suicides, uncovering a concerning trend where gambling companies are not held accountable.

Missed Opportunities to Prevent Further Gambling-Related Deaths

That is the case of a new study published Monday by Birkbeck, University of London and the University of Bath, which included interviews with more than a dozen people from nine different families affected by gambling-related suicide, The Guardian reported. A majority of the family members and loved ones of deceased gamblers recognized an ongoing “unwillingness” of coroners to recognize gambling companies as parts of inquests.

Jessica Jacobson, who is among the authors of the new report and a professor in criminal justice at Birkbeck, acknowledged that there was a “profound mismatch” between what bereaved families of gambling-related suicides expected from coroners and what they encountered. “Many felt there were missed opportunities for learning that could help prevent future deaths,” she explained.

In addition, the new report uncovered: “Many felt that gambling companies, the broader gambling industry and indeed the government were not being held to account.” According to bereaved families, this failure to hold the gambling sector and operators accountable represents a failure to prevent additional gambling-related suicides. Not unexpectedly, they are also in favor of meaningful changes to the gambling industry that can help protect vulnerable individuals and prevent suicide cases.

Reportedly, the newly released research is part of a bigger project by Gambling with Lives, the leading charity that helps support families bereaved by gambling-related suicides and raises awareness of the dangers of gambling addiction. The aforementioned project is called “Voicing Loss,” and focuses on the experiences of families bereaved by gambling-related suicides with investigations and inquests by coroners.

A Change in the Coroner System Is Needed

In one recent landmark case, a recognizable gambling operator was named an “interested person” in a coroner’s inquest into the death of a young man. The case involved Luke Ashton, who took his own life back in April 2021. Unlike other gambling-related suicides, in Luke’s case, a coroner concluded that his death was aided by a “gambling disorder,” ultimately naming Flutter’s flagship brand, Betfair as an “interested person” in the inquest.

Annie Ashton, Luke’s widow, explained that in other cases of gambling-related suicide, inquests often fail to acknowledge the role of gambling companies. “There is a failure in the coroner system,” Annie Ashton explained, adding that a reform of the aforementioned system is required.

While changes are needed, Luke’s case marked the first time a coroner acknowledged the role of gambling in a suicide case. This marks a step in the right direction that can ultimately help introduce meaningful changes to the sector that can reduce the number of suicides connected to gambling.