Published on: January 19, 2026, 11:40 AM.
Updated on: January 19, 2026, 11:40 AM.
- Court filings indicate Morford sought to self-exclude from Betfair multiple times, but was unsuccessful.
- Despite significant gambling losses exceeding £1 million, VIP treatment and benefits allegedly persisted.
- CDS and GamLearn are urging Betfair to return funds lost through gambling by divesting.
A compulsive gambler swindled £340,000 ($432,000) from his workplace while seeking exclusion from Betfair, only to be treated as a VIP client, court documents reveal. This led to over £1 million ($1.27 million) in losses over several years, with complimentary hospitality offered at various sporting events.
On Wednesday, Andrew Morford, a previous finance director, was given a two-year suspended sentence after admitting to embezzling from Co-operative Development Services (CDS), a charity focused on housing, according to The Guardian.
Documents revealed that Morford misappropriated funds from CDS between May 2019 and February 2024.
Judge Silas Reid highlighted that Morford’s gambling addiction played a considerable role in the decision to impose a light sentence.
Repeated Efforts for Exclusion
Morford initially requested to self-exclude from Betfair in 2008, just three years after he started using the service. Although his request was acted upon, he later managed to create another account under the name “Andy” instead of “Andrew.”
He again self-excluded in 2010 but reversed his decision two years later, resulting in losses of £659,000 ($837,000) over the next five years.
In 2017, Betfair closed his account due to concerns regarding his betting behavior, yet Morford succeeded in opening a new account in his father’s name, leading to additional substantial losses.
Despite several warning signs, Betfair’s internal assessment classified Morford’s account as a “low-end medium risk.” The operator missed multiple chances to identify him, including in August 2022, when he sent an email to his VIP account manager using his actual name.
He repeated this in March 2023. A staff member checked the name against the database and found that Morford had a history of dodging self-exclusions.
Even after this realization, he managed to deposit over £550,000 ($699,000) and lost tens of thousands more prior to the suspension of his account by Betfair.
Betfair’s Potential Divestment
Now, CDS, along with GamLearn, an organization aiding gambling addicts facing legal troubles, is urging Betfair to refund losses incurred from Morford’s gambling.
Betfair, owned by Flutter Entertainment, stated to The Guardian that the situation would be reviewed following the conclusion of criminal proceedings.
We have a comprehensive divestment policy, and this case will be evaluated under that protocol once the criminal proceedings have concluded,” a representative mentioned, emphasizing the importance of player safety.
The representative noted that Morford had “impersonated his father during numerous calls with our staff, even during safer gambling discussions, where he assured us he had control over his spending and provided paperwork in his father’s name.”
CDS has pursued a civil case against Morford, recovering £575,000 ($730,000), with part of the amount coming from his £100,000 ($127,000) pension and half of his share in the family home, estimated at £110,000 ($140,000).