Online Gambler Sentenced to Five Years in Jail

An online gambling addict in Britain, accused of stealing nearly $1.75 million from the company he worked for in order to fund his gambling habit, was sentenced yesterday to five years in prison.

The judge sentencing Bryan Benjafield warned about the quote "staggering growth of Internet betting sites," but was basing his opinion solely on the case in front of him, not realizing that there are millions of online gamblers out there who gamble responsibly for entertainment purposes only.

Benjafield, the 23 year old defendant who was an accounts administrator earning about $28,000 annually, was accused of stealing almost $17,000 a day to gamble online. His company later went into liquidation.

The report said Benjafield used his position to transfer money to his bank account, and then used the money to bet on horse-racing, football matches, Internet poker and other online casino games.

Benjafield, who is newly married with a 12-month-old son, admitted to the charges.

"The ease with which a desperate man addicted to gambling could spend enormous sums is bluntly staggering," the judge said. "Internet or online gambling has made it much easier, regretfully, for enormous sums to be spent unthinkingly."

August 3, 2006
Posted By Terry Goodwin
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com    Previous Page | Internet Gambling | Top Online Casinos | Submit News!