Woman’s Death in the UK Ruled Gambling Addiction Related 

Gambling addiction has pushed another person, one Ellen Mulvey, 44, from Macclesfield, Cheshire, into taking her own life after she developed a severe compulsive disorder and spiralled into debt and desperation.

Her Death Was Arguably Avoidable, But Operators Kept Targeting Her Vulnerability

Eventually, Mulvey was pressed to the tragic end by not being able to stop or receive adequate help. 

Although she was excluded from Gamstop, Mulvey then went on to play through offshore gambling operators, many of which specifically target vulnerable consumers. 

HM assistant coroner Elizabeth Wheeler said that the victim had been diagnosed with a severe gambling disorder, which contributed to her passing. She first started gambling in 2018, and slowly became more involved with the hobby. 

Over the years, Mulvey had amassed a balanced record running in the hundreds of thousands, and that included both UK Gambling Commission-licensed and offshore platforms.

The gambling disorder was only established after her passing, with the coroner arguing that it had been undiagnosed. Deanne Tomkins, Mulvey’s partner, was also among the people to speak up about her passing, and specifically the toll unregulated platforms can take on people:

“We are deeply concerned about the unregulated online gambling sites targeting those who have taken the steps to self-exclude, as Ellen did.”

Tomkins argued that it should not be possible for people to connect to unregulated gambling websites that prey on vulnerable consumers and specifically look for those who have been excluded due to a problematic relationship with gambling.  

“That is the devastating reality of the harm caused by gambling and the psychological harm. No one is immune to this addiction, especially to these dangerous addictive products,” Tomkins added. 

Raising Awareness and Taking the Adequate Course of Action

During an official hearing looking into her death, Mulvey’s sister, Katie Styring, said that her family hoped that her death would at least raise awareness of gambling disorder as well as the dangers of online gambling. 

The UKGC has added: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the death of Ellen Mulvey, and our thoughts are with her family and friends at this difficult time.”

The regulator also called for strengthened coordination between domestic and international regulators, licensed operators, tech platforms, law enforcement, and other relevant sectors to end the bane of unregulated operators that may end up pushing people over the top.