Oliver Long

I am Laura BRADFORD, Senior Coroner for the coroner area of East Sussex Coroners Service

On 27 February 2024, I commenced an investigation into the death of Oliver Anderson Long, aged 36. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 13 January 2026 and I recorded a conclusion of suicide. The family requested me to refer to the deceased as Ollie. I will reflect that in this report.

Ollie had a history of anxiety, depression, long-term cannabis use and a gambling disorder. He had self-excluded from online gambling with operators licensed in Great Britain by way of multi-operator self-exclusion schemes. The evidence suggests, however, that Ollie was later able to access unlicensed gambling providers, where he continued to gamble heavily leading up to his death. On 20 February 2024, Ollie was reported missing after his family found a note suggesting that he was intending to jump from a cliff. A police investigation followed and identified that Ollie had travelled to East Sussex where he had booked accommodation and left several notes there indicating his intention to take his own life from cliffs in East Sussex. On the afternoon of 23 February 2024, a member of the public called police after finding a body and death was formally confirmed at 17:33. The body was subsequently identified as Ollie.

During the course of the investigation my inquiries revealed matters giving rise to concern. In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken.  In the circumstances it is my statutory duty to report to you. The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows: (brief summary of matters of concern) I heard evidence from Ollie’s family and the Gambling Commission in respect of the efficacy of the UK self-exclusion scheme, GamStop, which allows customers to bar themselves from all forms of legal and licenced online betting. This scheme, however, does not capture overseas unlicenced sites and people who have self-excluded (as Ollie did) may be able to access these sites or are being deliberately targeted by them. Additionally, I heard evidence that consumers may not be aware that they have accessed an unlicenced site and in doing so have moved outside of the realm of the regulated area. Consumers are unlikely to check that a site is licenced prior to accessing it, particularly if the advert for the site is in a trusted space, such as on social media. The result is that people who are at risk of gambling-related harm in accessing these sites are not protected by features such as limit setting and slowing down of gains, and they may not be aware that these features are unlikely to be present on the site they are using. There is, in my view, a lack of adequate public health information and warning relating to the risks posed by unlicenced gambling sites.

In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you (and/or your organisation) have the power to take such action.