Widow of problem gambler fights for better safeguards

Luke Ashton took his life earlier this year after mounting up debts via the online platform Betfair.

Wife, Annie Ashton, has promised to advocate for problem gamblers and to ensure that better safeguards are put in place to protect them.

The couple were unaware that problem gambling was an issue prior to Luke’s death. Mrs Ashton said, “We didn’t know a gambling disorder existed, but it is more common than people think.

“Luke… didn’t have the ability to know what he was going through. He was just so consumed by gambling that the only way he thought was an out was, unfortunately, to take his own life.”

Ashton was reported to be on Betfair for up to 14 hours per day, both early in the morning, and late at night. In March 2021, he placed 1,229 bets and on one occasion spent £2,500.

An inquest into Ashton’s death found that Betfair was named as an “interested party”, and did not meaningfully intervene in his gambling activity, despite his three requests for betting firms to suspend taking his bets.

The algorithms set by the online platform assessed Mr Ashton as “low risk”, either missing or discounting the warning signs of his activity.

Mrs Ashton describes this as a “red flag”. She says “Anyone self-excluding just once should have been on the radar. But the thresholds for him being a high-risk gambler were set too high.”

She confirms that she is satisfied with the inquest as she “wanted accountability” from the company. She highlighted this could “happen to anyone” and urged people to speak about their gambling problems.

“I will not stop campaigning for that,” she says “and Luke would be so proud that from this tragic story, he has done so much for people.”