Bedfordshire coroner calls for National Lottery inclusion in GAMSTOP

A coroner wants the National Lottery in the United Kingdom placed on the list of services that gambling opt-outs exclude people from. The UKGC, speaking through a spokesperson, indicated it may weigh further changes, possibly including a wider reach for Gamstop.

An inquest heard that Stephen Goff, 54, died on 18 August 2025 in his flat in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire. Emma Whitting, senior coroner for Bedfordshire and Luton, also observed that GAMSTOP did not cover National Lottery draws. GAMSTOP is described as a national self-exclusion programme that blocks licensed gambling services, with sports betting and casino given as examples. Whitting acted herself by forwarding the report on the case to the UK Gambling Commission and GAMSTOP. Goff put the money in his bank account into the lottery after being excluded from gambling.

According to the UKGC, draw-based National Lottery games carry generally less risk than other gambling products. The UKGC added that discussions are under way with Allwyn, the National Lottery's operator, and with GAMSTOP about whether more consumer protection is required. Freya Geoff, identified as a daughter, argued that the National Lottery belongs on the GAMSTOP blocked list and called its absence a "glaring omission".