Oliver Long

Coroner's concerns

AI summary

The self-exclusion scheme (GamStop) fails to protect individuals from unlicenced overseas gambling sites, which target vulnerable users. There is a critical lack of public health information regarding these risks.

View full coroner's concerns

I heard evidence from Ollie's family and the Gambling Commission in respect of the efficacy of the UK self-exclusion scheme, GamStop, which allows customers to bar themselves from all forms of legal and licenced online betting. This scheme, however, does not capture overseas unlicenced sites and people who have self-excluded (as Ollie did) may be able to access these sites or are being deliberately targeted by them. Additionally, I heard evidence that consumers may not be aware that they have accessed an unlicenced site and in doing so have moved outside of the realm of the regulated area. Consumers are unlikely to check that a site is licenced prior to accessing it, particularly if the advert for the site is in a trusted space, such as on social media. The result is that people who are at risk of gambling-related harm in accessing these sites are not protected by features such as limit setting and slowing down of gains, and they may not be aware that these features are unlikely to be present on the site they are using. There is, in my view, a lack of adequate public health information and warning relating to the risks posed by unlicenced gambling sites.

Responses

4 respondents

Department of Health and Social Care Central Government

5 Mar 2026 PDF

Noted

The Department of Health and Social Care acknowledges receipt of the report and states that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is leading the development of a single cross-agency response, with DHSC contributing particularly in respect of public health considerations. (AI summary)

View full response

Dear Ms Bradford, Inquest following the death of Oliver Long – Response to regulation 28 I write on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to acknowledge receipt of the Regulation 28 Report to Prevent Future Deaths, which was issued on 14 January 2026 following the inquest into the death of Oliver Long. The report was addressed to DHSC, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the Department for Education, and the Gambling Commission. On behalf of the department, I would like to offer my sincere condolences to Ollie’s family and friends on their tragic loss. His death, under such tragic circumstances, serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact that gambling-related harm can have on individuals and those close to them. The Government recognises the seriousness of these harms and is committed to protecting individuals and communities and strengthening protections through ongoing regulatory reform. In relation to the matters of concern set out in your report, DCMS, as the lead government department responsible for gambling policy and regulation, is leading the development of a single cross-agency response, working collaboratively with relevant policy officials across the named organisations. DHSC fully supports this approach and is actively contributing to the response, particularly in respect of public health considerations. A substantive response addressing the concerns raised in your report will be submitted to you by DCMS on behalf of all named recipients within the statutory timeframe.

Laura Bradford, HM Senior Coroner, East Sussex

Department for Education Central Government

6 Mar 2026 PDF

Noted

The Department for Education acknowledges the concerns raised but states that responsibility for the matters lies outside its remit. (AI summary)

View full response

Dear Laura Bradford (Senior Coroner for East Sussex) Prevention of Future Death Report – Oliver Anderson Long I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Oliver Anderson Long. Officials within the Department for Education have undertaken a review of the report and fully recognise the importance of the issues you have raised. Following this consideration, we have concluded that responsibility for these matters lies outside the remit of this Department. The organisations identified within the report may be best placed to provide you with a full and comprehensive response, and we trust they will be able to address your concerns appropriately. Families Central Division Deputy Director, Department for Education

Gambling Commission Regulator / Inspectorate

6 Mar 2026 PDF

Noted

The Gambling Commission acknowledges the concerns but states that the action proposed in the report falls outside of the Commission’s remit, but remains willing to share information and cooperate with relevant bodies. (AI summary)

View full response

Dear Senior Coroner Bradford,

Response to Regulation 28 Report to Prevent Future Deaths - Oliver Long

1. I write on behalf of the Gambling Commission (“the Commission”) in response to the Regulation 28 Report to Prevent Future Deaths (“the Report”) dated 14 January 2026, made following the inquest into the death of Mr Oliver Anderson Long (hereinafter referred to as “Ollie” in line with the family’s wishes).

2. The Commission and I wish to reiterate our sincere condolences and deepest sympathies to Ollie’s family following their tragic loss.

3. The Coroner’s inquiries revealed matters giving rise to concern, which are set out in section 5 of the Report and summarised as follows:

3.1. GamStop, the UK self-exclusion scheme, which allows customers to bar themselves from all forms of legal and licensed online betting, does not capture overseas unlicensed sites and people who have self-excluded may be able to access these sites or be deliberately targeted by them.
3.2. Consumers may not be aware they have accessed an unlicensed site and in doing so have moved out of the regulated area. Consumers are unlikely to check that a site is licensed prior to accessing it, particularly if advertised in a trusted space such as on social media. The result is that, in accessing these sites, people at risk of gambling related harm are not protected by features such as limit setting and slowing down of gains and may not be aware that such features are unlikely to be present.
3.3. There is a lack of adequate public health information and warning relating to the risks posed by unlicensed gambling sites.

4. The Commission’s understanding is that the matters of concern described at paragraphs
3.1 and 3.2 above arise from both a lack of, and inadequacies within, existing public health information. To allay those concerns and thereby prevent future deaths, the Coroner considers appropriate action should be taken to ensure that public health information and warnings about the risks posed by unlicensed gambling sites are increased and improved.

5. The Commission’s principal function, and the statutory powers that support them, are set out in the Gambling Act 2005 (“the Act”). In summary, the Commission has statutory powers to:

5.1. license gambling operators and individuals.
5.2. prepare and publish a number of key documents that set out the responsibilities of those that hold operating or personal licences and our approach in regulating the gambling sector. This includes outlining operator requirements and expectations within the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice, comprising licence conditions, codes of practice, and social responsibility code provisions.
5.3. undertake activities for the purpose of assessing compliance with the provisions made by or by virtue of the Act.
5.4. carry out formal licence reviews of operating and personal licences for specified reasons.
5.5. publish guidance to licensing authorities on the exercise of their functions.
5.6. provide advice to the Secretary of State on matters relating to gambling.
5.7. investigate whether an offence has been committed under the Act, and to pursue criminal proceedings if this is the case.

6. In exercising its powers, the Commission imposes strict obligations on those it licenses and enforces those obligations appropriately. For example, failure to comply with any of the requirements placed on a licensee can lead to the commencement of formal licence reviews, which may culminate in the imposition of a formal sanction including licence revocation. It can also lead to criminal action in cases.

7. The Commission also works with a wide range of other regulators, public health bodies, the third sector and businesses to reduce gambling related harms. The Commission currently has two independent expert advisory groups, who provide independent advice to support the development of our regulatory approach. These are the Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) and the Digital Advisory Panel (DAP). Further, the Commission is continuously developing and strengthening methodologies to understand gambling harms through its own research.

8. As set out above, the Commission works under a statutory regime relating to the regulation of gambling. The Commission has not historically received taxpayer funding for its work under the Gambling Act. Its regulatory activities are funded through licence fees charged to regulated individuals and entities. Those fees are set by the Secretary of State. However, in November 2025 the Government announced in the Budget that they would provide additional taxpayer funding to the Commission specifically for the purpose of addressing risks from the illegal market and to build upon the existing programme of

work that the Commission does to disrupt illegal gambling and prevent unlicensed gambling operators from targeting consumers in Great Britain.

9. We agree that it is important for consumers to understand the risks that could be posed by sites, often based overseas, that are not licensed here in Britain. Such sites do not meet the same consumer protection standards that are required by domestic gambling operators licensed by the Commission. While this is important area, the Commission is not a public health body and does not have the statutory powers to design or deliver public health information or awareness campaigns. It is our view that responsibility for such action rests with the other recipients of the Report.

10. Reflecting the fact that the Commission does not hold statutory responsibilities for public information campaigns, the Government’s 2023 Gambling White Paper recognised the importance of developing clear and systematic messaging to support consumers in making informed decisions, with a fuller understanding of potential risks. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport committed to working with the Department of Health and Social Care to develop a robust approach to informational messaging. Once suitable campaigns have been established, the White Paper sets out that the Gambling Commission will have a role in guiding how licensed operators should engage with and apply these messages.

11. We consider that messaging on the risks of unlicensed gambling sites could be developed as part of the Government’s work. The Commission remains ready to consult on requirements for licensed gambling operators to apply any messaging that is developed by the Government.

12. Any decision to run a campaign, and its content, would need to be informed by an assessment of both the nature and scale of the risk posed by unlicensed sites, and whether, on balance, the benefits favour proceeding. By way of illustration, some consumers who access unlicensed sites do so deliberately because they are unlicensed and do not have the protections afforded by licensed sites. A public information campaign could have the unintended consequence of giving publicity to the existence of gambling sites which consumers who are self-excluded can access, and so may exacerbate the very problem it is designed to solve. These are matters which would need to be carefully weighed by the Government department responsible for the campaign.

13. In conclusion, as the action proposed in the Report falls outside of the Commission’s remit, we are unable to implement it. Nevertheless, we remain willing to share information and cooperate with the relevant bodies within the scope of our functions.

Department of Culture Media and Sport Central Government

10 Mar 2026 PDF

Action Taken

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport stated the government has pressed technology companies to prevent promotion of illegal gambling sites and the Gambling Commission developed guidance for consumers to identify licensed sites. They are also developing a new strategy, will publish a consultation response on financial risk checks, and are working to improve gambling-related harm education. (AI summary)

View full response

Dear Ms Bradford, Response to Regulation 28 report following the inquest into the death of Mr Oliver Long
1. I write in response to the Regulation 28: Report to Prevent Future Deaths (the Report) dated 14 January 2026, made following the inquest into the death of Mr Oliver Long (Ollie). I write on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), and the Department for Education (DfE) as the Minister for Museums, Heritage and Gambling.
2. In providing this response to the Report, the Central Government Departments (CGDs) wish to repeat their sincere condolences to Ollie’s family and friends on their tragic loss. The Government has a continued commitment to protecting people from gambling-related harm and preventing future tragedies under similar circumstances. The CGDs have carefully considered the concerns you highlight, and will continue to take action to make gambling safer and increase protections for those at risk of harm.
3. The Report arises from the Inquest into the death of Ollie which finished on 13 January 2026 and the particular matters of concern identified in the Report were that:
i. The UK self-exclusion scheme, GamStop, which allows customers to bar themselves from all forms of legal and licensed online betting, does not capture overseas unlicensed sites and people who have self-excluded may be able to access these sites or are being deliberately targeted by them.
ii. Consumers may not be aware that they have accessed an unlicensed site and in doing so have moved outside of the realm of the regulated area. Consumers are unlikely to check that a site is licensed prior to accessing it, particularly if the advert for the site is in a trusted space, such as on social media. The result is that people who are at risk of gambling-related harm in accessing these sites are not protected by features such as limit setting and slowing down of gains, and they may not be aware that these features are unlikely to be present on the site they are using.
iii. There is a lack of adequate public health information and warning relating to the risks posed by unlicensed gambling sites.
4. The concerns are addressed by the appropriate CGDs, drawing upon their relevant policy knowledge and expertise.

Background
5. The Government recognises that harmful gambling can wreck the lives of individuals, families and communities. Ensuring that when gambling takes place, it does so safely is a top cross- departmental priority.
6. From December 2020 to April 2023, the previous Government undertook an extensive review of the Gambling Act 2005. This culminated in the white paper entitled ‘High stakes: gambling reform for the digital age’, published in April 2023. This is the most comprehensive review of gambling legislation in Great Britain for 20 years, outlining a package of new protections to build on existing controls and help safeguard customers.
7. A number of the proposals in the white paper relate to the protection of those who gamble online, which are being introduced in addition to the measures outlined below in relation to your concerns. For example, in April 2025, the Government introduced online slot stake limits of £5 per spin for adults aged 25 and over. The Government has also introduced the statutory levy on gambling operators, which will raise upwards of £100 million annually to see increased, independent and sustainable funding for research, prevention and treatment of gambling-related harm.
8. The Gambling Commission also continues to implement a range of measures, including financial risk checks, strengthened rules on marketing, and improving access to pre-commitment tools, like deposit limits. Concerns I and II: GamStop does not capture overseas unlicensed sites and people who have self-excluded may be able to access these sites or are being deliberately targeted by them, and consumers may not be aware that they have accessed an unlicensed site and may be unaware that they are not protected by features such as limit setting and slowing down of gains
9. Licensed operators must provide facilities to allow gamblers to self-exclude. In 2020, the Gambling Commission mandated all licensed online operators to sign up to GamStop, the national self-exclusion scheme, taking regulatory action against operators who fail to comply.
10. DCMS and the Gambling Commission are aware that some illegal websites are targeted at people who experience significant harms from their gambling and self-excluded gamblers, such as Ollie. We have committed to taking action to tackle this problem as part of wider efforts to address the risks posed by the illegal market.
11. As part of its 2024 to 2027 Corporate Strategy, the Gambling Commission has committed to increase investment, resource, and capacity to tackle illegal gambling, and the Government has committed to provide the Gambling Commission with an additional £26 million over the next 3 years to do so. The Gambling Commission has conducted research to improve its evidence base around the unlicensed gambling market, using web traffic data and gambling behaviour data to estimate the size of the online unlicensed market and qualitative research to understand consumer motivations for participation in illegal gambling.
12. The Government is acutely aware of the risks associated with unlicensed gambling and is committed to working with the Gambling Commission to ensure it has all the powers it needs to tackle illegal gambling. The Crime and Policing Bill, introduced in Parliament in February 2025, will grant the Gambling Commission new powers to more quickly and effectively take down illegal gambling websites.
13. DCMS also launched the Illegal Gambling Taskforce in January 2026, which brings together a wide range of stakeholders to take action against the illegal market. It will focus on 3 main areas:

advertising of illegal gambling, preventing payments associated with illegal gambling, and improving cross-agency collaboration and enforcement.
14. DCMS recognises that more work needs to be done to ensure that gambling advertising does not exacerbate harm and is working closely, across Government and with industry, to ensure everyone, including the most vulnerable, are protected from the potential harms associated with unlicensed websites. Concern III: There is a lack of adequate public health information and warning relating to the risks posed by unlicensed gambling sites
15. In April 2025, the statutory levy on gambling operators came into effect, under which the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) is the commissioner for the prevention of gambling-related harm in England, working alongside Public Health Scotland and Public Health Wales. OHID is working at pace to develop an effective and co-ordinated public health approach to gambling harm prevention which is evidence-based and has real impact.
16. Given this is a new programme of activity, OHID will employ a ‘test and learn’ approach to better understand what interventions are most effective in preventing gambling harms at a local, regional and national level.
17. In January 2026, OHID launched the Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise sector Gambling Harms Prevention Grant Fund for organisations wishing to deliver prevention activity to support people at risk of gambling related harm, which may include activity to deliver public health campaigns in different localities. OHID will evaluate the impact of successful bids over the course of the next 2 years to inform longer term policy decisions around effective harm prevention measures.
18. Additionally, OHID plans to fund upper tier local authorities from financial year 2026/27 to deliver on prevention related activity for gambling-related harm, which will include understanding the local need and working to ensure there is a holistic approach to gambling harms prevention. A number of pilot projects have been funded in quarter four of financial year 2025/26, including the development of a media campaigns toolkit which will be a helpful resource for local areas going forward. OHID have also funded 2 national symposiums for local authorities to share knowledge of best practice for gambling harm prevention.
19. The levy also provides the opportunity to build the evidence for effective campaigns to tackle gambling-related harms. As part of their ongoing work, OHID intends to raise awareness of the risks of harmful gambling and support behaviour change through national campaigns. As per the 2023 white paper commitment, OHID also continues to work with DCMS and the Gambling Commission to strengthen informational messaging, including on the risks associated with gambling, with a view to replacing the current narrative based around ‘individual responsibility’. OHID will consider how best to include health information and warnings relating to the risks posed by unlicensed gambling sites, as part of this workstream. Further information will be shared on this as work progresses.
20. Within schools, statutory ‘Relationships, Sex and Health Education’ supports children and young people to manage risk and make informed decisions in relation to their mental wellbeing and online behaviour.
21. DfE published revised Relationships, Sex and Health Education statutory guidance on 15 July 2025, which sets out a comprehensive and age-appropriate curriculum for all pupils in England. The revised guidance will become statutory on 1 September 2026, replacing the existing guidance which has been in force since 2020. Curriculum content to be covered by the end of secondary education includes: the risks related to online gambling and gambling-like content

within gaming, including the accumulation of debt; that gambling can lead to serious mental health harms, including anxiety, depression, and suicide, and that some gambling products are more likely to cause these harms than others; how advertising and information is targeted at them and how to be a discerning consumer of information online, understanding the prevalence of misinformation and disinformation online.
22. The Government recognises the need to be at the forefront of emerging risks for children and young people as the gambling landscape evolves. To inform the approach to education and support materials, OHID is working to build the evidence based upon the outcomes of the prevention work currently underway across the voluntary sector and planned for local authorities. Conclusion
23. The Government remains committed to tackling gambling-related harms. Working with the Gambling Commission, DCMS is committed to strengthening protections for those at risk through a range of new safer gambling requirements. DCMS and the other CGDs will continue to review the best available evidence to inform our decisions on how best to fulfil our commitment to tackle gambling-related harm.
24. DCMS recognises the unique opportunity presented by the introduction of the statutory gambling levy to build an independent, robust approach to the research, prevention and treatment of gambling-related harm that is rooted in the principles of public health. DCMS has confidence that the commissioners under the levy, including OHID, are best placed to maximise the impact of the dedicated funding made available to them, and will continue to work together to ensure this. DCMS, DHSC and DfE hope that the matters set out above address, in sufficient detail, the concerns raised in the Report. If, however, further information or clarification would be of assistance the CGDs will of course endeavour to provide this, as required. With best wishes, Minister for Museums, Heritage and Gambling

Report sections

Investigation and inquest

On 27 February 2024, I commenced an investigation into the death of Oliver Anderson Long, aged 36. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 13 January 2026 and I recorded a conclusion of suicide. The family requested me to refer to the deceased as Ollie. I will reflect that in this report.

Circumstances of the death

Ollie had a history of anxiety, depression, long-term cannabis use and a gambling disorder. He had self-excluded from online gambling with operators licensed in Great Britain by way of multi-operator self-exclusion schemes. The evidence suggests, however, that Ollie was later able to access unlicensed gambling providers, where he continued to gamble heavily leading up to his death. On 20 February 2024, Ollie was reported missing after his family found a note suggesting that he was intending to jump from a cliff. A police investigation followed and identified that Ollie had travelled to East Sussex where he had booked accommodation and left several notes there indicating his intention to take his own life from cliffs in East Sussex. On the afternoon of 23 February 2024, a member of the public called police after finding a body and death was formally confirmed at 17:33. The body was subsequently identified as Ollie.

Similar PFD reports

Shared signals

Coroner's concerns

Responses

Report sections

Similar PFD reports

Related inquiry recommendations

Report details

Responses identified

Sent to

Source links