In the UK, a link between Bet365 and death was established

In the United Kingdom, an inquest concluded on March 17 found that operator Bet365 failed to identify signs of problematic gambling behavior in 19-year-old student Arthur Soames, who took his own life in May 2022.

Circumstances of Arthur Soames’ case

The court concluded that a gambling disorder was one of the factors affecting his condition.

It was noted that the deterioration of his mental health was accompanied by increased activity in online gambling.

Period before the incident

Active gambling began in December 2021 and intensified in the following months.

Late-night gambling sessions and increased betting volumes were recorded.

Actions of Bet365

During this period, the operator sent more than 80 marketing messages, including free bet offers.

At the same time, intervention was limited to a single automated email in February 2022.

Assessment of player behavior

Expert analysis confirmed the presence of multiple warning signs in the user’s behavior.

According to the investigation, the operator should have identified these signals and taken action earlier.

Role of healthcare services

The court also pointed to shortcomings in mental health services.

The risk of self-harm was not properly identified or communicated between specialists.

Coordination issues

Information about the patient’s condition was not fully taken into account during risk assessment.

The care plan was not updated to reflect the worsening condition.

UKGC regulatory review

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) completed its review of the account in June 2025.

Compliance issues in the operator’s actions were identified.

Review findings

The results of the review were not shared with either the operator or Soames’ family.

The court intends to submit a report to the regulator to help prevent similar cases in the future.