Former Gambling Commission CEO Andrew Rhodes has officially stepped down from the position after originally announcing his intentions to do so on 9 February, confirming he is “onto something new” even as his future role currently remains undisclosed.
“Today is my last official day at the Gambling Commission and I formally step down as CEO after a whisker under five years. What started as a call asking me for suggestions of people who might be interested in a really good interim role turned into the best job I’ve ever had,” Rhodes said.
“It’s often a difficult role in an environment with such strongly competing and differing views, but it is also a fascinating one and I feel very fortunate to have had the privilege. I am also thankful for the support and engagement of so many different stakeholders during the last five years – people have not always agreed with one another but it’s so important to have that rich variety of views.”
Rhodes stated he looks forward to playing the National Lottery again now that many of his personal restrictions have receded, with Deputy Chief Executive Sarah Gardner set to take over many of his previous responsibilities until a permanent CEO is eventually named.
The former Gambling Commission CEO continued: “I wish all of my now former colleagues at the Commission nothing but the very best and after some 25 years in the public sector, it will be nice to do something completely different.”
The Gambling Commission also appointed Sue Young as its new Executive Director of Operations on 17 March to help bolster its leadership team, having joined from HM Revenue and Customs where she served as Director of Debt Management.
Young began leading several of the Commission’s operational functions, supporting its efforts to ensure gambling is free from crime and to minimise the black market threat.
Rhodes was interviewed for Global Gaming Insider’s January CEO Special, where he emphasised the demands of the role and the need for resilience when leading the Gambling Commission.
The Gambling Commission published an updated assessment of illegal gambling website traffic in the UK on 22 April, which failed to indicate consistent or sustained growth in consumer engagement
