Tom Banks appointed first Executive Director of the Prize Competition Council

Tom Banks has been appointed the first Executive Director of the Prize Competition Council (PCC), the trade association announced on 12 October 2026 in London. The appointment comes as the PCC expands its membership from eight founders to 65 members since its launch in early 2026. Banks will initially be responsible for supporting compliance with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators and representing members in engagements with government, regulators and the media.

The role of Tom Banks and the PCC’s immediate priorities

Banks will focus his mandate on two concrete areas: ensuring PCC members comply with the DCMS Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators and articulating the industry position to authorities and public audiences. The Council has defined practical implementation of the Code’s requirements by its members as its immediate priority.

“The Prize Competition Council now represents 65 members, and supporting them with the requirements of the DCMS Code is our immediate priority,” said George McGregor, the independent chairman of the Prize Competition Council.

McGregor added that Banks brings experience explaining complex regulatory issues to government, regulators and media across the UK and Europe, and that this skill will help the PCC “explain how responsible prize operators operate”.

Banks’s professional experience and relevant track record

Tom Banks brings more than 13 years in public affairs, corporate communications and reputation management. His career includes work on election campaigns and with political parties, as well as consultancy for operators in the gambling sector.

Banks worked as a consultant at Public First advising Kindred for four years and subsequently moved in-house for another four years, with a recent role as Head of External Relations at FDJ UNITED. The PCC highlights his experience in explaining evidence and managing public scrutiny of businesses that serve the general public.

What Banks said about the sector and his workplan

Banks said that millions of people in the UK take part in prize draws and competitions every year, and stated that the PCC has a key role to “explain how the market works, defend responsible operators and ensure the sector’s voice is heard when decisions affecting it are made”.

His operational priorities include:

• listening to and supporting members in implementing the DCMS Code;

• showcasing the standards applied by responsible operators;

• publicly explaining how prize competitions work;

• opening early and constructive dialogue with government, regulators and media.

“My first priority will be to listen to members and support their work under the DCMS Code,” said Banks.

Banks said he will work alongside George McGregor, the board and members to raise standards and represent the sector in relevant forums.

Context: PCC’s growth and mandate

The Prize Competition Council launched in 2026 with eight founding members and has seen rapid uptake to reach 65 members by October 2026. The growth reflects market interest in a sector body that centralises engagement with regulators and government bodies responsible for rules on competitions and prize draws.

The DCMS Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators, referenced by the PCC, sets operational guidance and transparency standards that operators should follow to reduce the risk of misleading practices and protect participants. The PCC has made supporting compliance with that Code its priority following the expansion of its membership.

Implications for operators, regulators and suppliers

For competition operators who have joined the PCC, the new executive director provides a focal point for regulatory coordination and external communications. For regulators and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), the PCC offers a consolidated interlocutor that can facilitate technical consultations and present practical evidence on market operations.

Service providers — from contest-management platforms to legal and compliance consultancies — may find in the PCC a channel to articulate market needs and standards accepted by members. For stakeholders interested in the regulatory framework, the PCC represents an aggregated source of practices and guides that members say they follow.

What’s next for the PCC under Banks’s direction?

The immediate approach will be operational: audit or review members’ processes against the DCMS Code, provide practical guidance and represent members in official conversations. In the medium term, Banks has said he intends to strengthen public communication about the role and standards of responsible operators and seek sustained dialogue with government and regulators.

The appointment formalises the Prize Competition Council’s executive structure and brings public affairs expertise that, according to the board, will facilitate both industry advocacy and the elevation of conduct standards in the market.

A note for industry readers

Operators and suppliers not yet in the PCC can evaluate the council’s offer in terms of access to representation in regulatory dialogue and support to adapt to the DCMS Code. Regulators and policymakers will have a point of contact with an explicit mandate to represent and evidence sector practices.

As a correspondent covering operations, I will monitor the practical initiatives Banks launches in the coming weeks to support compliance and any additional public guidance the PCC publishes for its members.