A gambling addict from the UK is suing the bookmaker William Hill, after he lost more than £2 million in six months. He started the High Court claim yesterday, accusing the bookmaker of having negligently encouraged him.

Graham Calvert, aged 28, is seeking compensation saying that he lost his money, his health, his wife, and his livelihood through his gambling addiction. He claims that he asked the bookmaker to stop taking his money under the self-exclusion policy that they offered.

Should Calvert win the case, it could establish for the first time that bookmakers must show a duty of care towards compulsive gamblers.

Mr Calvert's solicitor, Peter Hornsey, commented on the claim saying "It goes to the issue of how bookmakers treat people who have gambling problems via their self-exclusion policy and whether they can be held responsible when they advertise themselves as offering self-exclusion and promoting socially responsible gambling."

Anneliese Day, who is representing Calvert in court told the judges that "Mr Calvert's behaviour was being closely monitored as there were concerns as to where someone such as Mr Calvert was obtaining such large amounts of money." 

Miss Day believes that William Hill sought to encourage Mr Calvert to go on betting in a way that maximised their revenue, while other bookmakers that Mr Calvert had asked to exclude him had adhered to his request.

By Jeremy Hopkins
Source: news.777.com