‘My uncle died after placing 600 bets in a row’

The family of a man who took his own life after placing more than 600 bets an hour have told the BBC his inquest was a “battle” from start to finish, as they struggled to persuade the coroner to rule gambling as a factor in his death.

In the early hours of July 24, 2020, Lee Adams, 36, placed hundreds of bets on an online slot website shortly after receiving his monthly salary, according to his family. Within hours, the south Londoner took his own life.

More than five years later, in November 2025, a coroner concluded that gambling disorder contributed to his death.

Adams’ niece, Natalie Ashbolt, said the family had to instruct lawyers in an effort to consider the effects of his gambling, and is calling for better support for families affected by gambling-related deaths.

Ashbolt, whose family also received support from campaign group Gambling with Lives, said she was shocked by how difficult the process was, and worried other bereaved families would struggle to get a similar outcome at an inquest.

Family lawyers Le Day believe Adams’ inquest at Southwark Coroner’s Court was only the third time the role of gambling has been considered in depth – despite nearly 500 gambling-related suicides a year in England, according to a report by the Office for Health Improvement and Inequalities.

Natalie lived with Lee in Streatham for most of her adult life after her mother’s death.

“He loved his own company but he also loved spending time with family and friends and work colleagues,” she told BBC London. “Always busy. But generally fun and laughing. Didn’t take things too seriously in life.”

He added: “I always knew he’d gambled a bit on the slot machines, or put £10 in here online over the years, but it wasn’t a noticeable issue until he got his big win.”

In March 2020 Adams won just under £100,000, and from this point his gambling behavior “continued to spiral”, his brother said.

“Thousands and thousands went back to the sites. We said the obvious simple things: ‘Stop when you’re ahead, don’t be too far behind. Be sensible.’

“As the weeks went by, he put the weights back on and felt very bad about it.”

The coroner also ruled that in the months leading up to his death – which occurred during the Covid lockdown – Adams had suffered from chronic depression and became increasingly dependent on and involved in gambling.

The coroner found that Adams had been contacted by the operator about his deposition in late March, and said he was fine. He continued to gamble and was not identified as an increased risk.

The coroner, who delivered a narrative verdict, said there were missed opportunities by the gambling operator although they did not contribute to Adams’ death.

“We had no worries about leaving Lee alone. We didn’t know how bad things were or how bad things could get in that situation,” Ashbolt said.

When she learned of her uncle’s death, she was “completely shocked”, she told BBC London.

‘tip of the iceberg’

The family couldn’t properly grieve until the investigation, she said.

“We were surprised at how difficult the investigation process was,” Ashbolt told the BBC.

“We need to recognize that listing gambling disorder as a causative factor is an achievement – as a family we’ve been through it all,” she said, adding that she felt the operator was “not held to account”.

“It was also a push for the coroner to consider,” Ashbolt said [gambling]”, but enlisted lawyers helped.

She believes the system is “failed” and is “not set up to consider gambling”.

“Unless you have private funding and support and the ability of the coroner to admit they’re trying to gamble … it’s got to be done for all families to get to the point we’ve done.”

Ley de Solicitors told BBC London that it was only the third inquest they were aware of since 2022 in which a coroner recognized the contribution of gambling to someone taking their own life.

Dan Webster of the law firm believes these deaths are “the tip of the iceberg”.

The nature of gambling disorder is that it is “sometimes hidden from loved ones”, making it challenging for grieving families, but he said when they raised concerns with the coroner there was “a resistance to investigating those concerns”.

Webster said that before he began assisting the family, they were told the coroner “had all the evidence he needed and wished to proceed with the inquest without further investigation”.

According to Webster, the inquest was originally listed to proceed in March 2022 but the coroner postponed the hearing at the last minute. The inquiry was then repeatedly delayed.

He added: “I think it’s really important that coroners are more aware of the link between gambling and gambling disorder and suicide.”

Lay Day Solicitors are also representing the family of Gareth Evans, 40, from Croydon, who was found dead in his flat in November 2021.

A coroner is investigating the possible contribution of gambling to Evans’ death. The investigation has not yet been concluded.

In January 2025, the National Institute for Care and Health Excellence published guidelines on the treatment and detection of gambling, recommending that GPs ask patients about gambling at regular check-ups in the same way they do about drinking and smoking.

“It means not only does the coroner have to investigate but there’s an evidence base … if it’s in the medical record,” said Charles Ritchie, founder of Gambling With Lives, which raises awareness about problem gambling.

It was founded by Richie and his wife Liz after their son Jack killed himself in 2017 while battling a gambling addiction.

In 2022, the coroner ruled that the 24-year-old teacher from Sheffield had failed with “sadly inadequate” warnings and treatment.

“Jack had his first big gambling investigation. It was a long process,” Ritchie said. “It shouldn’t be a fight, and yet it is in this moment.”

He told BBC London that coroners “are often unaware that the National Suicide Prevention Strategy recognizes gambling as a risk factor for suicide, or that they have the ability to include evidence of pre-suicide gambling within the scope of the investigation”.

“Unless families have expert legal representation, they don’t have the legal knowledge to explain why or how gambling should be within range.”

Ritchie added: “We want to ensure every death is investigated … for justice, for the individual.

“We believe these people have been abused all their lives by gamblers and gamblers. We as a society must learn from their deaths as well.”

Ritchie said the biggest challenge in helping around 150 bereaved families was “convincing the coroner that gambling needed to be considered”.

He said there were instances where families were “pretty sure” gambling was the “number one cause of death”, adding: “And the coroner isn’t ready to look at it yet.”

How does the research system work?

• According to the law, the purpose of the inquest is to find out who died, when, where and how the death occurred, in certain circumstances where the death occurred – for example, suddenly or suspiciously.

• Findings and determinations made during the investigation are final and become part of the official record

• Where coroners believe the change could reduce the risk of other deaths, they are required to issue a prevention of future deaths report.

• The BBC understands that the Office of the Chief Coroner has shared a briefing with all coroners provided by the gambling regulator, which explains what it is and what it does.

• The 2023 Suicide Prevention Strategy for England identifies gambling as a major risk factor. It says “new and good-quality evidence points to an association between suicide and risk factors such as harmful gambling and domestic abuse”.

Currently, gambling licensees must notify the Gambling Commission – the industry regulator – if they become aware that someone gambling with them has taken their own life.

A spokesman for the regulator said: “When we become aware that a person has taken their own life and that gambling may have been a factor, we consider that this points to evidence of a regulatory failure by a gambling company. We will take regulatory action against them where they have failed to comply with our rules.”

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “While we understand the desire for better information about the link between gambling and suicide, simply asking coroners to record motivation does not provide a reliable picture, as they are often working with limited or incomplete information.”

BBC London contacted the court and the tribunal’s judiciary but declined to comment. Southwark Coroner’s Court was also contacted for comment.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London voices And follow BBC London Facebook, X and Instagram. Submit your story idea hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk