Gambling Commission set to appoint Chief Executive Andrew Rhodes on permanent basis

Interim British Gambling Commission CEO Andrew Rhodes is reportedly set to take on a permanent role at the regulatory body.

UK.- Andrew Rhodes is reportedly to leave his interim position of CEO at the UK Gambling Commission and assume a permanent role, according to a report from the Guardian. Rhodes was appointed acting boss of the Commission in June 2021 following the resignation of Neil McArthur.  

It was initially confirmed that Rhodes – who had previously held senior positions at the Department of Work and Pensions, Food Standards Agency and the DVLA – would work under the terms of an 18 month contract.

Rhodes is now set to be appointed permanently, with his stricter approach on “recidivist behaviours” understood to be a major reason behind the decision.

As argued by the Guardian, government figures have been impressed with Rhodes’ increasingly hardline stance against gambling industry infractions in recent months, with the CEO notably issuing warnings at the annual GambleAware conference in December.

The Guardian reports that Rhodes’ tone has been well received within the Commission and in the UK government, with Culture Minister Nadine Dorris expected to confirm his appointment immediately. Rhodes will reportedly earn a salary of £150,000 ($200,000).

He will oversee two significant moments in the history of the UK gambling industry: the government gambling review and the competition for the Fourth National Lottery Licence.

Rhodes also offered some insight on the Gambling Commission’s role under his leadership, underscoring a need for greater data usage, cross-industry collaboration and an aim to allow regulated gambling that is consistent with licensing objectives. 

He explained. “Those objectives say that gambling must be fair, crime-free and protect the vulnerable from harm. In an ideal world, the Commission would have little to do beyond licensing operators. But that is far from the case. 

“We are no way near that at this point in time. There is simply too much harm from gambling as a result of too little compliance amongst too many operators.”

See also: Gambling Commission: 2021 busiest year yet for enforcement