Article 2 inquests are held in cases where the state has failed to protect the deceased person from risk. The industry regulator the Gambling Commission and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, which oversees gambling policy, are opposing the attempt. The Ritchies are understood to be hopeful this would force the government to tighten gambling regulation to avoid future claims. Changes could include prominent health warnings attached to gambling products such as fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs), one of the products that Jack Ritchie was addicted to. A Gambling Commission spokesman said: “Jack Ritchie’s death was a tragedy and our thoughts continue to be with his family and friends.

Source: The Guardian June 28, 2019 04:52 UTC