Inquest hears football fan 'consumed' by gambling thought he was better off dead
The 36-year-old took own life after struggling with gambling addiction.
Last updated 13th Jan 2026
The inquest into the death of 36-year-old Oliver Long has heard how gambling addiction led him to feel he was better off dead.
Mr Long, originally from Buckinghamshire and a passionate Liverpool FC supporter, was found dead in East Sussex on 23rd February 2024.
His family, speaking at East Sussex Coroners Court on Tuesday, said “predatory gambling systems” were responsible for his death, having consumed his mind and stripped him of the enjoyment of football.
The court was told Mr Long began gambling with an initial £15,000 win after signing up to a site. But after six months of success, he began struggling when losses started to mount.
In 2022, Mr Long had self-excluded from UK gambling sites yet was drawn into using unlicensed overseas sites from 2023 onwards.
His sister Chloe described him as “intelligent, quick-witted and endlessly kind,” but said gambling took hold of him and had a devastating impact.
The court heard these unlicensed overseas websites target people who have self-excluded and, according to the Gambling Commission’s executive director Tim Miller, are often run by "criminal networks" connected to organised crime and terrorism.
Mr Miller added that the Commission had worked to remove over 81,000 URLs connected to gambling sites that circumvent self-exclusion systems like GamStop. While these efforts continue, new legislation granting the Commission more power to tackle these sites is expected next year.
Meta has been criticised for failing to act proactively against illegal gambling sites being advertised, with Mr Miller saying more could be done.
Mr Long’s pen portrait read aloud during the inquest revealed he had battled depression, anxiety, and cannabis use, alongside his gambling addiction.
His family reportedly spent time with him the weekend before his death, and he had visited an AirBnb in East Sussex, where he had been due to start a new job.
A pathologist reported his cause of death as "multiple injuries."
The inquest is expected to conclude later today.