Sarah Gardner and Sally Jones will be acting jointly as chief executives while the Gambling Commission searches for a permanent replacement for Neil McArthur.
McArthur, who joined the regulator in 2006, became interim chief executive in 2017 after Sarah Harrison stepped down, and was later appointed on a full-time basis in April 2017.
Moving forward, a new chief executive will lead the Commission as it faces future challenges, including the ongoing review of the Gambling Act.
During McArthur’s tenure, significant changes were made to gambling regulation in the United Kingdom, such as the ban on credit card use for gambling and the implementation of major changes to online slot gameplay. The government also launched its Gambling Act review under McArthur’s leadership.
Last week, the Gambling Commission faced criticism following the collapse of Football Index, an online gambling platform that went into administration. As a result, the Commission suspended the operator’s remote betting license.
The National Audit Office also criticized the regulator in a 2020 report, highlighting the lack of resources needed to perform its job effectively.
Bill Moyes, the Commission’s chair, thanked Neil McArthur for his years of service and acknowledged the progress made during his time as chief executive.
Sarah Gardner joined the Gambling Commission in 2009 and became deputy chief executive in June 2020. Sally Jones, on the other hand, joined the Commission in October 2020 from the education nonprofit Ambitious Futures.
