Call for National Lottery to join GAMSTOP after Bedfordshire death

Call for National Lottery to join GAMSTOP after Bedfordshire death

The inquest revealed that Goff had been battling a gambling addiction since 2006, which eventually contributed to the collapse of his marriage the following year. Despite taking steps to self-exclude from all licensed online gambling sites through GAMSTOP in both 2018 and 2024, he continued to participate in online gambling via the National Lottery Draw.

Records showed that the final transaction from Goff’s nearly empty bank account was made to the National Lottery Draw. Tragically, his body was discovered on his sofa on August 18, 2025. A post-mortem examination determined that the cause of death was asphyxiation, with the coroner ruling it as a suicide.

In her Prevention of Future Deaths (PFD) report, the coroner expressed concerns that the GAMSTOP self-exclusion scheme does not cover online gambling through the National Lottery Draw. She warned that this gap creates a risk where individuals who have self-excluded via GAMSTOP might continue gambling online through the National Lottery Draw.

Goff’s daughter, Freya, welcomed the coroner’s report, stressing the significant oversight that National Lottery gaming products are excluded from the GAMSTOP scheme. Meanwhile, a spokesperson from the Gambling Commission acknowledged that National Lottery draw-based games typically carry a lower risk compared to other gambling products, but stated they are open to “consider the potential for further changes, including the possibility of extending the scope of Gamstop in some form.

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