GwL families in first-ever study of gambling at inquests

Today the Voicing Loss project has published a ground-breaking report on the experiences of families bereaved by gambling-related suicide during the inquest process.

The study, which is the first of its kind, was conducted by the Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research at Birkbeck, University of London, in partnership with the Centre for Death and Society at the University of Bath.

Researchers interviewed 14 individuals from nine GwL families to compile the findings in the report, which is available to view here and download below.

The report revealed that families who have lost loved ones to gambling-related harm are routinely denied inquests that properly consider gambling, the role of gambling companies and the wider gambling landscape within their scope. This is despite families’ best efforts to present evidence and raise these critical issues.

“It was so quick it was unbelievable… I just found it cold. It’s like a conveyor belt. We seemed to be in there, out there and they disposed of 30 years of life… It was as if they wanted to get the next one in, and nobody seemed to be bothered that my son had taken his life,” said one person interviewed for the report.

The report highlights a significant accountability gap, concluding: “Many felt that gambling companies, the broader gambling industry, and indeed the government were not being held to account.”

“For us it was really a torturous process. The whole inquest, the coroner, the coroner’s office, and the whole system… the people that were supposed to be looking after us on the day, it was a terrible, terrible experience that I would not wish on anyone… I am utterly, utterly despondent and disappointed in the whole system,” said another person interviewed.

The only family involved in the study to have an inquest that fully examined the role of gambling in the death of their loved one is Liz and Charles Ritchie. However, this was only possible because they engaged a specialist legal team to fight for this outcome.

GwL calls for reform to the coroner service to ensure that causes of preventable deaths, such as those linked with gambling, are properly examined and addressed to prevent future deaths, and evidence submitted by families is adequately interrogated.

The Observer covered publication of the report.

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