Tim Miller to leave British Gambling Commission
The executive director for policy and enforcement is to step down after 10 years with the British gambling regulator.
UK.- The British Gambling Commission has announced another significant leadership change at the regulator. Following the exit of former CEO Andrew Rhodes in April, Tim Miller is to step down from his role as executive director for policy and enforcement in September after a decade working with the regulator.
Miller joined the Commission in 2016 under then-CEO Sarah Harrison and helped to build an evidence-led approach to regulation. He spearheaded initiatives such as the Digital Advisory Panel to strengthen oversight of emerging technologies, the development and launch of the new Gambling Survey for Great Britain and GamProtect, a cross-operator data-sharing system designed to identify and restrict customers showing signs of gambling harm.
Before joining the regulator, Miller held senior roles across the public sector, including at The Law Society of England and Wales, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, and the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. He also served on the Advisory Board for the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny between 2013 and 2016.
The specifics of Miller’s destination have not been revealed, but the Gambling Commission has said that he will “take up a new role outside of the British regulated gambling industry, supporting governments, regulators and other organisations that are developing and overseeing gambling regulatory systems around the world”.
In Rhodes’ case, he took up a position in the private sector at Hawkbridge, a new strategic consultancy focused on the gambling sector soon after leaving the regulator.
Writing in a LinkedIn post, Miller described his time at the Commission as “the most enjoyable and fulfilling part of my career so far” but said that “10 years always felt like the right point to take on a new challenge.”
His departure comes at a pivotal moment for British gambling regulation. The industry is adjusting to the rise in Remote Gaming Duty introduced in April, while there is still work to be done on the reforms outlined in the Gambling Review’s White Paper. While changes to marketing and bonuses are already in place, the more contentious Gambling Commission proposal of Financial Risk Assessments (FRAs) remains under debate and has faced strong opposition from betting operators and horse racing stakeholders.
The Gambling Commission is also stepping up its enforcement work against illegal land-based gambling after receiving new funding and is working with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s new Illegal Gambling Taskforce to combat black-market activity in general.
Miller said: “I have worked at the Commission longer than anywhere else during my career and have found it the most rewarding and fulfilling role. In large part this has been due to the amazing and dedicated colleagues that I’ve had the pleasure to work alongside. That’s what made it a hard decision to leave but after ten years I felt ready for the next challenge.”
Sarah Gardner, acting chief executive of the Gambling Commission, said: “Tim has provided outstanding service to the Commission for ten years. I would like to thank Tim for his significant contribution to gambling regulation and wish him every success in the future.”
The Gambling Commission said that arrangements to cover Tim Miller’s areas of responsibility will be set out in due course.
