Widow of gambling addict takes Betfair to court in possible landmark UK case

The widow of a gambling addict who took his own life after falling £18,000 into debt begins a legal claim on Thursday against Betfair that could have far-reaching consequences for the UK’s gambling industry. Luke Ashton, 40, from Leicester, died in April 2021 after suffering from a gambling disorder that led him to place thousands of bets with the company, which sent him promotional “free” bets. Lawyers for the Ashton family allege that Betfair was negligent because it failed to intervene as his losses increased, rendering the company liable for his death on the basis it breached its duty of care. Success in the claim would establish for the first time that a betting operator owed a duty of care to customers showing signs of problem gambling. In a defence submitted to the high court, Betfair, part of the £13bn international gambling firm Flutter, denied it owed Ashton any duty of care. It said he had not informed the company he had a gambling disorder and that his financial losses were caused by his “own contributory negligence” and external mental health factors. Ashton signed up for temporary exclusions from gambling with Betfair three times, but returned to betting each time they ended, going on to lose £21,777 over three years. In March 2021, after his gambling intensified when he was furloughed during the pandemic, he placed more than 1,000 bets and made a net loss of £5,500. …