Andrew Rhodes, CEO of the UK Gambling Commission, has stepped down from his position to take up a new role outside of the commission in April.
Deputy Chief Executive Sarah Gardner will step up as acting CEO, picking up Rhodes’ work while the commission initiates the process of recruiting a full-time chief executive.
Rhodes moved into the role in 2021 following three years as registrar and COO for Swansea University. He led the commission through a transformative period for gambling regulation in the UK and more broadly in Europe, including the Gambling Act review and more recently, a gambling tax hike in the UK, with remote gaming duty set to increase to 40% from April 2026.
A statement released by the commission on Monday said Rhodes’ work included “the introduction of financial vulnerability checks, reducing the intensity of online games and banning potentially harmful marketing offers”.
“He has also overseen the introduction of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain, now one of the largest surveys of gambling behaviour in the world,” the statement said.
Rhodes proud to have strengthened regulation
Rhodes said he was proud of the progress made by the Gambling Commission in strengthening regulation and improving consumer protections.
“It has been a privilege to lead the Gambling Commission through such an important period of change. I leave with confidence in the organisation, its people and the work still to come,” he added.
Commenting on the move, Charles Counsell, interim chair of the Gambling Commission, said: “Andrew has provided outstanding leadership for nearly five years and leaves a strong legacy. He has led the Commission through major reform, strengthened our regulatory approach and ensured consumer protection has remained at the heart of our work. On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Andrew for his dedication and wish him every success in the future.”
Original article: https://igamingbusiness.com/people/andrew-rhodes-ceo-gambling-commission-exit/
