A 40-year-old man took his own wife back in April 2021 after suffering from a crippling gambling addiction. The shocking case from the UK revolved around Luke Ashton, who was fighting a severe addiction to gambling before his suicide.
Using the services of Flutter-owned operator Betfair, the 40-year-old man wasn’t identified as a problem gambler, leading to the operator’s admission that its protection systems failed. Now as suggested by a newly released report, relatives of the deceased man filed a lawsuit with the High Court in the UK against Flutter.
Betfair Hasn’t Faced Consequences So Far
As announced by NEXT.io, the personal injury lawsuit against the recognizable gaming and entertainment company was recently filed by Annie Ashton, Luke Ashton’s widow, along with other relatives. In an interview for the publication, the widow acknowledged that all the money in the world couldn’t fix the damage to her loved ones.
However, Annie Ashton explained that the lawsuit was filed “to ensure that there is meaningful accountability for the failings which caused Luke’s death and that it leads to changes which benefit others.” The woman pointed out that the legal challenge comes after the coroner’s conclusion into her husband’s death which acknowledged he suffered from a gambling disorder.
Gambling Contributed to the Death of the 40-Year-Old Man
Moreover, Annie Ashton argued that not only did Betfair fail to protect her husband, but it also “contributed” to his death. “To date, Betfair has faced no consequence for its failings in Luke’s case, other than the rightful condemnation and public embarrassment which arose from the inquest, and it has been able to keep the profits which it made from Luke’s gambling,” the woman revealed.
The inquest into Luke Ashton’s death marked a historic decision. This is because a coroner concluded that the 40-year-old man suffered from a long-lived gambling disorder and called Betfair an “interested person” in the inquest. The decision marked the first such case for the industry.
Ahead of his passing, Luke Ashton gambled extensively and lost thousands of pounds. At some point, the 40-year-old man wagered more than 100 times per day. Following the man’s suicide, Betfair implemented comprehensive changes and controls to prevent such accidents from ever repeating again.
In a recent separate lawsuit, Flutter’s brand secured victory in a problem gambling case. The lawsuit before the country’s High Court saw a judge rule in favor of Betfair, dismissing a claim filed by a gambler who lost more than one million pounds between 2009 and 2019.
