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Gambler sues bookies for £2m loss Gambler sues bookies for £2m loss
(39 minutes later)
A gambler suing bookmaker William Hill for £2m for allowing him to bet after he asked them to stop taking his money is to have his case heard in court. A compulsive gambler who lost more than £2m, has begun legal action against bookmaker William Hill.
Greyhound trainer Graham Calvert, 28, from Houghton-le-Spring, near Sunderland, claims the company failed in their "duty of care".Greyhound trainer Graham Calvert, 28, from Houghton-le-Spring, near Sunderland, claims the company failed in their "duty of care".
He claims he was allowed to place bets after asking the company to close his account under a self-exclusion scheme.He claims he was allowed to place bets after asking the company to close his account under a self-exclusion scheme.
The firm will tell the High Court it cannot be liable for the losses. William Hill denies any wrongdoing and says it cannot be held legally liable for Mr Calvert's losses.
'Gambling disorder'
At the High Court the firm was accused of manipulating his gambling disorder to gain as much revenue as possible.
Anneliese Day, representing Mr Calvert, told Mr Justice Briggs on Wednesday that William Hill should be held liable because it failed to operate its own self-exclusion policy.
She told the judge: "What in fact occurred was that William Hill actively monitored and manipulated the claimant's gambling disorder in order to gain as much revenue for their business as possible."
She said Mr Calvert was hoping to establish in law for the first time that bookies do owe a duty of care in his circumstances.
'Manic periods'
Ms Day said William Hill "negligently sought" to encourage Mr Calvert to go on betting sprees of hundreds of thousands of pounds at a time.
She also said the scale of her client's gambling was "staggering". He had periods of mania when he placed huge multiple bets in the space of a few hours, she added.
He lost around £347,000 in one bet alone when he backed the US to win the 2006 Ryder Cup.
It is alleged William Hill allowed Mr Calvert to open two new accounts and to make bets totalling around £3.5m between June and December 2006.It is alleged William Hill allowed Mr Calvert to open two new accounts and to make bets totalling around £3.5m between June and December 2006.
Social responsibility
During this period he lost a total of £2.1m.During this period he lost a total of £2.1m.
He lost around £347,000 on one bet alone when he backed the USA to win the 2006 Ryder Cup. The hearing is due to last five days.
His solicitors, Newcastle-based Ward Hadaway, say the case is a crucial test of the betting industry's social responsibility policies.
Lawyer Peter Hornsey said: "It goes to the issue of how bookmakers treat people who have gambling problems via their self-exclusion policy.
"It also concerns whether they can be held responsible when they advertise themselves as offering self-exclusion and promoting socially-responsible gambling."
William Hill says it will defend the case "vigorously".
Responsibility in Gambling Trust (RIGT) has called for a UK-wide database which would give better protection to problem gamblers.
Mr Calvert is currently awaiting trial at Newcastle Crown Court charged over alleged firearms and drugs offences.