Gambling Habits Examined at Inquest into Young Man's Suicide

The Victorian Coroner's Court is conducting an inquest into the death of Kyle Hudson, who died by suicide on July 6, 2021, at age 22. The proceedings are examining whether betting companies adequately assessed and responded to signs of gambling-related harm prior to his death.

Gambling Activity

Court documents reveal that between turning 18 in 2017 and his death in 2021, Hudson placed bets with Sportsbet, Entain (owner of Ladbrokes), and bet365 (owned by Hillside). His total online gambling turnover was $895,733, with a net loss of over $47,000. Hudson deposited over $406,000 across these accounts.

In his first six months of gambling, Hudson placed 999 bets with an average stake of $107—equating to an average betting frequency of 4.6 times per day.

Specific data from his Sportsbet account includes:

• 37 behavioral alerts triggered, averaging one every six weeks. Most alerts resulted from him being aged 22 or under and betting over $3,000 in a rolling week.
• Seven instances where he set and removed self-imposed deposit limits.
• Five account suspensions, each followed by reactivation after Hudson told safer gambling specialists he was betting within limits. Sportsbet did not retain call recordings of these conversations.

In the week before his death, Hudson placed two online bets worth over $6,000. After losing both, he searched for suicide methods online.

Personal Background

Ashley Baker, Hudson's girlfriend of seven years, stated that Hudson opened a Sportsbet account on his 18th birthday. She said the only arguments in their relationship were about his gambling. After receiving $2,000 as a birthday gift, he lost it all and told her he "wanted to die."

Baker stated that Hudson attempted to limit his gambling, including setting deposit limits and taking breaks.

In December 2020, after losing $20,000—all his savings—he gave Baker control of most of his money and his Sportsbet account password.

In the days before his death, Hudson asked Baker for money, and she sent him approximately $5,500. She subsequently ended their relationship after observing he had continued betting.

Company Testimony and Coroner's Questions

Sarah Rizzo, Sportsbet's director of customer operations, acknowledged that with hindsight, "there may be times that Mr Hudson's gambling did get away from him." She stated that current safety protocols would have triggered approximately 70 alerts for Hudson's 2021 behavior, including blocking deposits and imposing mandatory deposit limits. The company now sends monthly transaction histories and persists in contacting customers to connect them with gambling specialists.

Coroner Paul Lawrie questioned why repeated limit changes were not flagged as a sign of concern. He noted that Sportsbet's responsible gambling calls rely on accepting customers' statements at face value, with limited verification.

Counsel assisting the coroner, Georgina Coghlan KC, noted that the "safer gambling" emails Sportsbet sent were almost identical and lacked specific information on problematic deposits.

Ongoing Proceedings

Representatives from Entain Group and Hillside (owner of bet365) are scheduled to testify later this week. The inquest also involves examination of banking institutions used by Hudson.

The proceedings are ongoing.