Gambling Commission’s search for a permanent chief executive reaches interviews

The timeline

The Commission announced in February 2026 that chief executive Andrew Rhodes would leave on 30 April, with deputy chief executive Sarah Gardner stepping up as acting chief executive. Executive director Tim Miller, a long-standing policy lead, left in September, and Sue Young was appointed executive director of operations in March. The recruitment, run with search firm GatenbySanderson, closed to applications at noon on 23 October. Virtual preliminary interviews take place from 5 to 13 November, followed by assessments, due diligence and informal conversations in the weeks beginning 23 and 30 November.

What the acting chief has prioritised

Ms Gardner, who has worked at the Commission for nearly 17 years, has focused on illegal gambling. Speaking to international regulators in October, she said the Commission disrupted 1,134 websites in 2025/26 and that £26 million of new Treasury funding over three years would let it go further; in November it published its first Illegal Gambling Index. She also noted a mature market, with gross gambling yield of £17.5 billion in the year to March 2026, up 4.4%. In interviews she has argued the regulator should not always reach for the bluntest instrument.

The in-tray

• Financial risk assessments, announced in July 2026 to be introduced in stages, with no start date yet set.
• Illegal gambling, with record enforcement and a new measurement index.
• Industry finances, after the rise in Remote Gaming Duty to 40%, the 25% fee increase and the 2026 Budget.
• Consumer trust, including fair withdrawals and safer gambling, following settlements such as L & L Europe’s £900,000.

For slot players, the existing rules stay in place whoever is appointed: the £5 stake limit (£2 for 18 to 24-year-olds), the 10x bonus wagering cap and the new deposit limit rules. See UK slot rules for the full list.