Warning about unlicensed gambling sites after death in East Sussex
A coroner warned about the dangers of unlicensed gambling sites after a man died by suicide due to a severe gambling addiction.Summary
Following the suicide of Oliver Long, a 36-year-old football fan, a coroner issued a warning about the risks associated with unlicensed gambling sites. Mr. Long, who had a severe gambling addiction, turned to these sites after self-excluding from UK-licensed platforms. His family stated that "gambling had made him believe that he was better off dead," and they attribute his death to his addiction. The coroner’s report highlighted a “lack of adequate public health information and warning” regarding these sites, which deliberately target vulnerable individuals and circumvent self-exclusion schemes like GamStop. The Gambling Commission expressed disappointment with Meta’s lack of proactivity in removing these sites and noted upcoming legislation to grant them more power to combat illegal operations. Mr. Long lost his house, job, and partner due to his gambling, and his case underscores the predatory nature of unlicensed gambling platforms.
(Source：The Argus)