A probe into illegal gambling was launched in London after a 36-year-old man with a severe addiction died by suicide in February 2024
Investigation into Black Market Gambling After Suicide
A probe into black market gambling has started following the suicide of an addict.
Oliver Long, 36, was found dead in February 2024, just days after sending farewell messages to his family.
He had a “severe gambling addiction” and began using unlicensed betting websites based abroad.
An inquest revealed that Long, a Liverpool fan from Buckinghamshire who lived in London, lost his job, flat, and partner of five years due to his gambling.
Coroner’s Report on Illegal Gambling
Senior coroner Laura Bradford has opened a prevention of future deaths report regarding illegal gambling.
She stated, “People may not be aware that they had moved outside of the protection afforded by the regulated area when accessing unlicensed gambling providers.”
Bradford noted that while “significant work” has been done, more efforts are needed to raise awareness about the risks of unlicensed gambling.
Self-Exclusion and Targeting of Addicts
Mr. Long self-excluded from UK betting sites in 2022 but began using illegal alternatives that “target” addicts the following year.
Tim Miller, executive director of the Gambling Commission, informed the coroner that these sites “deliberately seek to target people who are already experiencing harm.”
He added that these sites market themselves to bypass UK self-exclusion measures like “GamStop.”
Report Submission
The coroner’s prevention of future deaths report will be sent to the Department of Health, Department for Education, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Oliver Long |
| Age | 36 |
| Date Found | February 2024 |
| Location | London |
| Coroner | Laura Bradford |
| Report Recipients | Department of Health, Department for Education, Department for Culture, Media and Sport |
