UK bookmaker Star Sports faces lawsuit over alleged problem gambling issue
Star Sports is being taken to court by a former customer who claims the bookmaker allowed him to bet hundreds of thousands of pounds while knowing he had a gambling problem
Former customer Scott O’Brien is taking bookmaker Star Sports to court, accusing it of allowing him to bet hundreds of thousands of pounds while it knew he had a gambling problem. The case is being heard at the Central London County Court.
O’Brien spent ten months in a rehabilitation centre between 2002 and 2003 and attempted suicide. He claims Star Sports knew of his problem but allowed him to make bets totalling £419,252 on 14 September 2018 and 30 March 2019 at its betting shop in Mayfair.
The bets resulted in a total loss of £48,859. Star Sports denies the customer told a cashier about his past problems, and denies that he used self-service betting terminals (SSBTs).
Another major issue in the case will be O’Brien’s personal wealth and how much he could afford to bet.