The CEO of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), Andrew Rhodes, is stepping down from the leadership role in the midst of the British betting sector’s biggest readjustment in decades.

Rhodes’ departure from the Commission was announced by the regulator early this afternoon, with his resignation date confirmed as 30 April 2026. This comes 30 days after the HM Treasury’s new tax regime on gambling comes into effect.

It has not been confirmed what role Rhodes will be moving into, only that this ‘will be announced in due course’. The Commission has thanked Rhodes for his ‘outstanding leadership’ over the past five years.

“Andrew has provided outstanding leadership for nearly five years and leaves a strong legacy,” said Charles Counsell, Interim Chair of the Gambling Commission.

“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.”

Sarah Gardiner, the Deputy Chief Executive of the UKGC, will become Acting Chief Executive of the Commission during its transitional leadership period.

Writing about his departure on LinkedIn, Rhodes commented: “It’s been such a privilege to be CEO of the Commission since 2021 and it has never, ever been dull…

“I feel lucky to have worked with some really brilliant people doing important work in a fascinating sector with lots of complex challenges.

“I’m very sad to be leaving but I also think a whisker under five years is about the right time for me personally and I am really excited about what I do next.”

Reviews, scrutiny, and enforcement

Rhodes became Gambling Commission CEO in June 2021, having previously been Registrar and Chief Operations Officer at Swansea University. He was simultaneously Chair of Swansea City AFC during his tenure as UKGC CEO.

His previous roles within the government include Director of Products and Services at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), COO at the Food Standards Agency, and Director of Operations at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Prior to that, he worked as a Technology Solutions Consultant for ‘Big Four’ accounting firm PwC.

Rhodes initially took charge of the Gambling Commission as ‘acting CEO’, following the abrupt resignation of predecessor Neil McArthur and in the midst of the Gambling Act review.

At the time the Commission was under intense political and media scrutiny due to its handling of the Football Index (BetIndex) collapse, as licensing liabilities failed to protect the £100m in customer funds tied to the failed business.

The industry also became increasingly frustrated with the progress of the Gambling Act review at the time. The government initiated the review into the 2005 Gambling Act in December 2020, with the aim of modernising Britain’s gambling regulations.

The publication of the White Paper on the review was repeatedly delayed by the then-Conservative government, however, leaving the industry unsure where its regulatory future lay. Conversations around the review saw heated exchanges about betting marketing and sponsorships and affordability, among other issues.

The review was eventually published in April 2023, ushering in new requirements like finance risk checks, a code of conduct on sponsorships, new online slot stake limits, and a mandatory levy to pay for research, education and treatment (RET) around gambling harm.

On Rhodes’ leadership, Grainne Hurst, CEO of the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), said: “On behalf of the betting and gaming industry, I would like to thank Andrew for his professionalism in leading our regulator.

“His hands-on approach and willingness to engage directly with the industry helped foster a more informed and productive working relationship, even where views did not always align.

“Throughout his time in post, Andrew recognised the importance of strong consumer protections alongside the fact that around 22.5 million adults in Britain enjoy a bet each month. I wish him every success for the future.

“I look forward to working closely with Sarah Gardner as she steps up as Acting Chief Executive during this transitional period.”

Also occurring under Rhodes’ leadership was the fourth National Lottery licence tender, which saw long-time sole operator of the National Lottery, Camelot UK, replaced by multinational lottery group Allwyn as the next 10 year licence holder.

Both processes saw the Commission come under scrutiny. Criticism saw MPs and reformists demand a drastic overhaul of the Gambling Commission due to its forthcoming duties in initialing the Gambling Review and overseeing the National Lottery’s Fourth Competition Licence.

His tenure also saw the Commission undertake a number of high profile enforcement actions too, however. The most notable of these were probably the record-breaking penalties against Entain (£17.2m) in 2023 and William Hill (£19m) in 2024.

On his departure, Rhodes remarked: “It has been a privilege to lead the Gambling Commission through such an important period of change.

“I am proud of the progress we have made to strengthen regulation, improve consumer protections, and ensure gambling is safer and fairer. I leave with confidence in the organisation, its people, and the work still to come.”

Defending the regulator

Even after the White Paper was published and the adoption of its recommendations began, public scrutiny of UK gambling regulation and policies, and the role the Commission plays, continued.

The last time Rhodes appeared on SBC News was towards the end of last year when he addressed media criticism that the UKGC has gone “soft” with its intervention in football betting sponsorships.

Readers and those familiar with UK football will know that some Premier League teams will phase out betting sponsorships from their commercial commitments starting next season responding to public pressure. But this will be completely voluntary and not mandated by the UKGC itself.

In fact, the regulator was heavily scrutinised for not intervening earlier when a number of white label Asia-facing operators under TGP Europe were proudly displayed on the front-of-shirt kits of some of the biggest Premier League teams such as Wolverhampton, Leicester City, Fulham, Leeds United, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth.

Regardless, TGP Europe did ultimately vacate the UK market following regulatory action taken by the UKGC and the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission (IoM GSC).

In response to the accusations of slow intervention, Rhodes said at the time: “We’ve had genuine, grown up conversations about how the world has moved on and enforcement action has been taken in relation to some White Label providers which has meant they have exited the market.

“The answer cannot always be about expecting more and more from the Commission’s limited resources where a more strategic solution could be put in place.”