Grieving Parents Claim Tougher Gambling Laws Could Have Prevented Son’s Suicide

Peter and Sadie Keogh, from Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, are campaigning for tougher controls of gambling after their son committed suicide in 2013 after running up a huge debts.

The family wants tighter regulation of the industry to stop this heartbreak happening to other families. Lewis Keogh accumulated £50,000 worth of debt to feed his habit and couldn’t see a way out of the situation.

His father said:

"All he could see was a dark hole - he didn't know where to get help.”

Northern Ireland’s gambling laws are almost archaic having been drafted all the way back in 1985. The rules are set with an older era in mind that doesn’t take into account the way the internet has changed the face of the industry.

Lewis conducted almost all of his betting online and his parents view the aggressive marketing as one of the reasons for their son’s death in this manner. 

They are also now involved with campaign group Gambling with Lives, who recently delivered a letter to the UK Prime Minister demanding and end to the sponsorship of football teams by betting firms.

One of the changes people want to see is provisions for support groups. Northern Ireland has an estimated 40,000 problem gamblers which is the highest per capita in the United Kingdom.

There are currently no specialist services offered by the National Health Service in the country.

Mr Keogh said:

"We haven't had a change in our gambling laws since 1985 which is light years away, it's pre-internet. It has been updated in England and there are now specific clinics for gamblers and we need to step up to the mark."