A coroner has ordered a report into the dangers of unlicensed gambling after hearing how a football fan's severe addiction led him to believe he was 'better off dead'.
A Life 'Consumed' by Betting
Oliver Long, a 36-year-old Liverpool FC fan from Buckinghamshire, was found dead in East Sussex on 23 February 2024. He had sent farewell messages to his family days earlier. At an inquest at East Sussex Coroner's Court on Tuesday 13 January 2026, his sister Chloe Long stated that 'predatory' gambling systems had 'consumed his mind'.
Senior Coroner Laura Bradford recorded a conclusion of suicide. She has now mandated a Prevention of Future Deaths report focusing on the risks of unlicensed gambling providers, which fall outside UK regulatory protections.
From Winning Streak to Financial Ruin
The court heard Mr Long's gambling journey began with a £15,000 win from an initial sign-up offer. He bet successfully for about six months before his situation deteriorated dramatically. After attempting to self-exclude from UK sites in 2022, he turned to unlicensed overseas operators in 2023.
These sites deliberately target individuals trying to avoid UK safeguards like the GamStop self-exclusion scheme. His bank statements revealed savings losses of £20,000 in April 2023 alone. His addiction ultimately cost him his home, his job, and his long-term relationship.
Family's Plea for Stronger Action
In a poignant pen portrait, his sister described Oliver as 'intelligent, quick-witted and endlessly kind'. She told the coroner: 'Gambling had made him believe that he was better off dead'. She blamed outdated legislation, poor regulation, weak enforcement, and inescapable sports advertising for his death.
'Ollie was not 'vulnerable'. He was human. His death was preventable,' Ms Long said. 'Gambling is not harmless entertainment; it is a public health crisis.'
Calls for Tighter Regulation and Enforcement
Tim Miller, Executive Director of the Gambling Commission, told the inquest that unlicensed sites are often run by 'criminal networks' linked to terrorism and organised crime. He expressed disappointment that tech giants like Meta are not more proactive in removing such content.
The Commission has secured the removal of over 81,000 URLs related to illegal gambling from search engines. New powers expected next year under the Crime and Policing Bill will allow the Commission to block IP addresses and domain names of illegal websites. A recent Budget commitment of £26 million over three years aims to bolster these efforts.
The Prevention of Future Deaths report will be sent to the Department of Health, the Department for Education, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
