In a heartbreaking case, the family of Lee Adams, a 36-year-old South Londoner, has revealed the harrowing details of his gambling-related suicide. According to his cousin, Natalie Ashbolt, Adams placed over 600 bets in just one hour shortly after receiving his monthly salary, ultimately taking his own life in the early hours of July 24, 2020.
The family’s battle to have gambling recognised as a contributing factor in Adams’ death was a gruelling one, with Ashbolt describing the inquest process as a “battle from beginning to end.” It was only in November 2025, more than five years after his passing, that a coroner concluded that a gambling disorder had indeed played a role in his tragic demise.
Ashbolt, who had the backing of the campaign group Gambling with Lives, expressed her shock at the difficulty in getting the coroner to consider the impact of gambling. She fears that other bereaved families will struggle to achieve a similar outcome, as the system is “failing” and “isn’t set up to consider gambling.”
The case has shone a spotlight on the urgent need for reform in the way gambling-related deaths are investigated. Leigh Day, the family’s solicitors, believe Adams’ inquest was only the third time the role of gambling had been considered in depth at an inquest, despite estimates of up to 500 gambling-related suicides in England each year.
Charles Ritchie, the founder of Gambling with Lives, which was set up after his son Jack’s gambling-related suicide in 2017, emphasised the challenges families face in convincing coroners to investigate the link between gambling and suicide. He stated that without specialist legal representation, families often struggle to have gambling considered as a contributing factor.
The family’s ordeal highlights the pressing need for a more comprehensive and compassionate approach to investigating gambling-related deaths. As Ashbolt poignantly stated, “We need to recognise it was an achievement to have gambling disorder listed as the causing factor – as a family we’ve known it all along.”
This tragic case serves as a clarion call for systemic change, ensuring that the role of gambling in suicide is given the attention and consideration it deserves, and that bereaved families are provided with the support and resources they need to achieve justice and closure.
