Coroner calls for national gambling regulator after young man's suicide

Victorian coroner Paul Lawrie determined that the online gambling habit of Kyle Hudson, who began betting on his 18th birthday, directly caused his suicide in July 2021. Over four years, Hudson placed 8,585 bets and lost $47,945 through accounts with Sportsbet, Ladbrokes, Neds, Bookmaker and bet365. Two large bets placed on the morning of his death were lost, after which he searched online for suicide methods and ended his life.

The coroner faulted betting companies for depending on the gambler's own statements rather than comprehensive monitoring, noting that account suspensions and safety messages had no real impact. Lawrie issued nine recommendations, the most significant being a call for a federal online gambling regulator to oversee licensing, data sharing and standardized player protection tools.