A millionaire high-roller who sued an upmarket West End bookies' claiming they should have protected him from his addiction as he blew £100,000 has had his bid to get his money back thrown out by a judge.

Businessman Scott O'Brien, planet88 54, claimed he has been addicted to the 'dark and destructive' habit of gambling all his adult life and was even driven to attempt suicide by his problem.

But he said his habit went into overdrive after he sold his Essex-based paper recycling business Pulp Friction for £9million in 2012 and he was so 'erratic' at one point that he stashed £1million in cash at the bottom of his wardrobe.

He was a regular at upmarket bookie Star Sports' flagship shop - close to the Dorchester Hotel, in Mayfair - and claimed he bet more than £400,000 there.

After losing £48,859 on bets - and at least another £50,000 he said he blew on betting terminals - he sued the company at Central London County Court for his money back, claiming he should have been protected from his addiction.

He claimed Star Sports breached its duty to act in line with its 'social responsibility code provisions' and that some of his gambling loses 'were due to Star Sports' failure to comply with the (code) applicable to its operating licence'.