UK's Betfair fights landmark lawsuit on duty of care to gamblers

By Sam Tobin

LONDON, June 4 (Reuters) - British gambling company Betfair is fighting a landmark London lawsuit that could determine whether betting companies owe a duty of care to problem gamblers, in a case that opened on Thursday and is being closely watched by the industry.

The family of Luke Ashton, who died by suicide in April 2021, allege Betfair encouraged him to place bets and that this exacerbated his gambling disorder, and caused or materially contributed to his death. Betfair denies the claims.

The family is suing Betfair – owned by Flutter, which also owns the Paddy Power and Sportsbet brands – at London's High Court, arguing Betfair breached its duty of care.

Lawyers for Ashton's widow, Annie Ashton, said Betfair created or perpetuated the risk of harm through actions "including the design and operation of an addictive gambling product and the provision of inducements and free bets".

Betfair argues the claim should be dismissed, citing previous English court rulings that gambling operators owe no "general duty to protect problem gamblers from the consequences of their actions".

The company's lawyers said in court filings: "For good reasons, the law does not make bookmakers and other operators liable to customers for the consequences of their voluntary choices, when engaged in a lawful activity."

GAMBLING INDUSTRY SCRUTINY

Britain's customer-facing gambling industry, excluding lotteries, took in £12.6 billion ($16.9 billion) in the year to March 2025, up more than 9% from the previous 12 months, according to regulator the Gambling Commission.

The sector has faced growing calls for higher taxes and tighter regulation to tackle addiction, as betting has become more widespread and easier to access via smartphones.

The Ashton family's lawyer, Jeremy Hyam, told the court: "We bring this claim against the backdrop of what is accepted by the Gambling Commission and others, that suicide is a known risk for gamblers."

He said gambling firms should have "a duty to take preventative steps and a duty not to encourage and create risk" for people with gambling problems.

Betfair said it already operated a "sophisticated set of safer gambling procedures" and that Ashton had a history of mental health issues.

"We reiterate our sincere condolences to Mrs Ashton and her family over this tragic case," a Flutter spokesperson said in a statement, adding the company could not comment further due to the litigation.

($1 = 0.7442 pounds)

(Reporting by Sam Tobin. Editing by Mark Potter)