Gambling Commission advertises permanent chief executive role at c. £190,000

The Gambling Commission is recruiting a permanent chief executive with a posted salary of approximately £190,000 per year; applications close at midday on 23 October and the final panel interview is scheduled for 9 December 2026. The notice comes eight months after Andrew Rhodes announced his departure effective 30 April, and the job description now requires leading the Illegal Markets programme and to “deliver a return” on HM Treasury investment in 2026-27.

## Terms of the role and selection timetable

The vacancy, published on the microsite of executive search firm GatenbySanderson, describes a permanent contract based in Birmingham with an average of two days per week in the office and regular travel to London. The salary is listed as “c. £190,000 per annum” and the role includes a civil service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%, equivalent to about £55,000 a year on that salary band.

The selection process follows this timetable: applications close at midday on Friday 23 October; preliminary interviews take place between 5 and 13 November; and the final interview plus a stakeholder exercise are scheduled for 9 December. The selection panel is chaired by Ruth Evans, who became Chair of the regulator on 30 September; panel members include Emma Ward, Director General at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), and other commissioners appointed to the panel.

## Key responsibilities: Illegal Markets, Gambling Act Review and National Lottery

The job profile lists specific duties. The new chief executive will be required to:

• - lead the implementation of the Gambling Act Review;

• - oversee the National Lottery with the aim of “maximising returns to good causes”;

• - direct the Illegal Markets programme and deliver “a three-year HM Treasury return on investment from 2026-27”.

The Commission’s text ties the return requirement to funding announced in the November 2025 Budget: £26 million over three years, included in the 2026-27 business plan. The successful candidate will also be the Gambling Commission’s Accounting Officer, accountable to Parliament for the use of public funds, and must hold or be able to obtain Developed Vetting security clearance.

“The Commission has ambitious plans for the future and a clear strategic direction; the next chief executive will be responsible for translating strategic ambition into delivery,” Ruth Evans writes in her welcome to candidates.

## Pay history and internal context

In 2024-25 Andrew Rhodes received a salary band of £190,000–£195,000, with a bonus of £15,000–£20,000; his total remuneration including pension benefits was reported between £300,000 and £305,000 in the Gambling Commission annual report. Sarah Gardner, who served as acting chief executive after Rhodes’s departure, was listed in the £150,000–£155,000 band for the same period.

The current advertised band sits at the lower end of what Rhodes received in 2024-25, but the job description encompasses more operational and digital transformation responsibilities than before. The Commission requires experience in digital transformation and data handling; prior chief executive experience and sector knowledge are desirable but not essential. The specification also warns on impartiality: candidates with direct industry experience must demonstrate their ability to act impartially and preserve public confidence.

## Regulatory and financial context around the appointment

The appointment comes as operators face regulatory cost changes: the DCMS approved a 25% increase in reference licence fees from 1 October to avoid “significant cuts” to the Commission’s services. At the same time, the 2026-27 business plan marks that year as the final year of the current corporate three-year plan, meaning the incoming chief executive will write the next strategy. Operators and stakeholders are watching this process closely, particularly those in the casino and betting sectors who will be affected by enforcement and fee changes.

The Commission has continued to act during the vacancy: on 7 October it announced a compliance settlement with Grosvenor for £5 million. The new Accounting Officer will be responsible for demonstrating to Parliament how public funds are used, including Treasury funding aimed at tackling illegal markets.

## Revolving door and caution on impartiality

The announcement also reflects the regulator’s attention to the “revolving door”. Andrew Rhodes left the Commission and joined advisory firm Hawkbridge; Tim Miller, former executive director of policy and research, launched his own consultancy after leaving in late June. No formal breaches have been reported in those moves, but the job specification underlines the need to maintain public confidence where candidates come from the industry they regulate.

The Gambling Commission appoints its chief executive with the Secretary of State’s consent under the Gambling Act 2005, and the Act sets out the appointment mechanism. If the interview timetable holds, the successful candidate would be appointed roughly ten months after Gardner became interim chief executive and might not join until well into 2027 if notice periods apply.

## What this means for stakeholders and suppliers

For operators, interest groups and technology suppliers, the process matters because of the Commission’s stated priorities: focus on illegal markets, the legislative review and National Lottery management. Suppliers of digital transformation and data services will continue to be needed to execute the compliance and surveillance programmes the job description requires; commissioners and operators will track procurement and delivery closely. (See our coverage of [regulation](/regulation) for related analysis.)

The advert emphasises that the Gambling Commission is seeking a leader with public management capability, implementation experience and a commitment to impartiality, accountable to Parliament and empowered to develop the strategy after 2026-27. I will follow the selection process to the panel’s final decision on 9 December. Miguel Sandoval, Regulatory Correspondent.