Inquest rules man died by suicide after years of gambling addiction
Oliver Long had been diagnosed with a severe gambling disorder before his death in 2024.
An inquest has found a man from Buckinghamshire died suicide in Sussex after struggling with a gambling addiction for years.
Oliver "Ollie" Long, originally from Wendover, was 36 when was found dead on 23 February 2024.
He'd been diagnosed with a severe gambling disorder.
Before his death Ollie left notes calling his addiction 'devastating' - saying he could no longer cope with it's mental health impacts.
Ollie’s addiction began in 2016 when he started betting on football.
An initial big win was soon followed by heavy losses, triggering a rapid deterioration in his mental health.
In 2018, Ollie sought help from the gambling charity GamCare, trying to beat his addiction.
In early 2022, he self-excluded from online gambling via Gamban, a platform which blocks access to online gambling providers.
His family believe that he also self-excluded via GAMSTOP, another scheme which blocks access to all licensed online gambling operators in Great Britain.
After this, Ollie then started volunteering as a peer support worker for others affected by gambling harms.
However, in April 2023 Ollie began gambling again, using illegal sites which are understood to be operated by overseas providers, who do not hold a licence in the UK, and were not blocked by Ollie’s self-exclusions with GAMSTOP and Gamban.
Ollie’s bank statements show that his gambling activity on these sites became intensive and continued until shortly before his death.
In a statement following his death, Ollie's family described him as "one of those rare people who made life brighter just by being in it."
They say he was "intelligent, quick-witted and endlessly kind.
"He had a successful career and worked hard at everything he did. He loved visiting galleries with his Mum, was devoted to his close family and had a special bond with his five young nephews."
Speaking about his struggles with gambling, Ollie's family say "behind his vibrant personality and thoughtful nature, he was facing a hidden battle – one that too many people face in silence.
"Gambling took hold of Ollie and consumed his mind. Ollie’s greatest passion was football, especially his beloved Liverpool. It breaks our hearts that something he loved so much was used to lure him into a dangerous world that ultimately destroyed him.
"Beneath the surface, the grip of gambling was quietly eroding his ability to find happiness. It made him feel shame and worthlessness that he didn’t deserve, and that no one should ever have to carry.
The gambling products he encountered were not harmless entertainment. They stripped away Ollie’s enjoyment of the game he loved so much. They were highly addictive, predatory systems designed to exploit. And they did. They stole from Ollie – not only his money, but his peace, his future, and ultimately, his life."