A Liverpool fan has lost his life to a gambling addiction after being targeted by unlicensed, "predatory" online betting sites. The 36-year-old man had initially tried to stop gambling but was enticed back in by websites that circumvented UK self-exclusion tools such as GamStop.
Oliver Long's sister described the betting products he encountered as "not harmless entertainment" and said they stripped away his enjoyment of the game he loved, leaving him with a severe addiction. The sister added that Oliver was a huge Liverpool fan who had experienced significant financial losses due to his gambling habits, including losing £20,000 in just one month.
The inquest heard that Long's online search for help led him to websites known as "Not on GamStop", which are unlicensed and marketed specifically to circumvent the UK's self-exclusion laws. The Gambling Commission has warned that these sites are often run by "criminal networks" involving terrorists and organized crime, and they pose a significant threat to vulnerable individuals.
Coroner Laura Bradford expressed concern that people may not be aware of the dangers posed by such websites and urged more to be done to highlight the risks. Long's sister also spoke about how her brother had tried to volunteer as a peer supporter for others affected by gambling but ultimately took his own life due to the overwhelming pressure of his addiction.
The case highlights the need for greater awareness and education about online betting sites that prey on vulnerable individuals, and the importance of robust regulation to protect those who struggle with addiction.
Oliver Long's sister described the betting products he encountered as "not harmless entertainment" and said they stripped away his enjoyment of the game he loved, leaving him with a severe addiction. The sister added that Oliver was a huge Liverpool fan who had experienced significant financial losses due to his gambling habits, including losing £20,000 in just one month.
The inquest heard that Long's online search for help led him to websites known as "Not on GamStop", which are unlicensed and marketed specifically to circumvent the UK's self-exclusion laws. The Gambling Commission has warned that these sites are often run by "criminal networks" involving terrorists and organized crime, and they pose a significant threat to vulnerable individuals.
Coroner Laura Bradford expressed concern that people may not be aware of the dangers posed by such websites and urged more to be done to highlight the risks. Long's sister also spoke about how her brother had tried to volunteer as a peer supporter for others affected by gambling but ultimately took his own life due to the overwhelming pressure of his addiction.
The case highlights the need for greater awareness and education about online betting sites that prey on vulnerable individuals, and the importance of robust regulation to protect those who struggle with addiction.
. The fact that these unlicensed sites are like "Not on GamStop" just shows how sneaky they can be 
. I think the Gambling Commission needs to step up their game and make more noise about these predatory sites 
. It's not just about the financial loss, it's about the mental health toll it takes too 
. We need to spread awareness about these risks so people don't get caught in the same trap as Oliver 
.
this is just horrific what kind of websites are these "not on GamStop" ones? they're literally preying on people like Oliver who's already struggling with an addiction. i'm so angry that he got sucked back in by these unlicensed sites and couldn't get the help he needed 
. we need to do a better job of protecting vulnerable folks online, but at the same time, i don't think the UK's self-exclusion laws should be too lax either... it's like, how can they strike a balance? 
and now he's gone. it's not just about the £20k loss, it's about the mental toll too... we need stricter regulations and more education so people know what they're getting themselves into 
I think we're making a mountain out of a molehill here. These "Not on GamStop" sites might be dodgy, but they're just offering an alternative for people who get kicked off legitimate ones. And what about the guy's own responsibility to take care of himself? Maybe he wasn't as affected by it as his sister says. I'm not saying online betting is harmless or anything, but let's not jump on this bandwagon without looking at both sides of the story... 
just heard this story about Oliver Long and it's making me so angry. Can't believe these "Not on GamStop" websites are preying on people like his brother, taking advantage of their vulnerabilities. It's not right that they're targeting people trying to quit or manage their addiction. We need more support and awareness about online betting sites and the risks involved. The fact that Oliver was already struggling with a severe addiction and then took his own life due to the pressure is just heartbreaking. 
man's story is so sad he was a huge Liverpool fan just wanting to have fun but got sucked into these dodgy websites that stole his joy... £20k in one month is mental! 
coroner says more needs to be done to warn people about these "not harmless entertainment" sites they're like predators waiting for vulnerable ppl to fall through the cracks 
gotta shine a light on this and make sure ppl know the risks 
. and the fact that they're basically run by criminal networks is just terrifying 
. it's not just about regulation, but also about education - we need to make sure everyone knows the risks and how to spot them 
. I mean, what can we do to stop them? It's not like we can just delete our cookies and expect everything to change 
. We need to talk about this more, raise awareness so people know the dangers 
.
(I remember when Shankly was still in charge lol) and his passion for the game got hijacked by these predatory online betting sites. £20,000 in just one month? that's crazy 
.
. They take advantage of people who can't control their urges, and it's just devastating 
. The fact that he was enticed back in by websites that circumvented UK self-exclusion tools is mind-blowing 
GamStop is there for a reason 
. It's not just about Oliver, it's about all those others who might be tempted by these websites 
. Let's raise awareness and make a change 
.
. It's like they're preying on someone who's already struggling and that's just not right 
#GamblingAddictionAwareness #ProtectOurLovedones #OnlineSafetyMatters
and how cute it is! Anyway, back to this news... I mean, £20,000 in one month is like, wow, that's a lot of money 
. Like, how do people not see that they're being taken advantage of? I mean, I've seen some shady ads on my browser history too 
. Anyway, it's just really sad that Oliver lost his life to this... I guess what can we do, though?