Marcus Boyle has been appointed as the Chair of the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC), and the Betting and Gaming Council’s (BGC) Chair, Brigid Simmonds, has welcomed this new appointment. Oliver Dowden, the DCMS Culture Secretary, confirmed the new hiring earlier this week. Boyle will be in charge of overseeing the UKGC’s activities. In the meantime, the British government will continue its review of the 2005 Gambling Act. A white paper on the issue that is due for release is also included. Boyle will replace Bill Moyes, the former chair of the UKGC, and will have a five-year term with a salary of around $76,000 (£50,000) per year. Simmonds remarked by congratulating Boyle for his new accomplishment and welcoming him to the new role.

Boyle’s Experience in Public and Private Sectors Was the Key

The UKGC highlighted Boyle’s massive experience in managing private and public sector roles and made note that he had a massive contribution as he was the leader in the process of development and implementation of a big program that presented reforms at a public sector body. It added that, thanks to his governance and management capabilities, a progressive change had taken place.

He also added that the BGC will continue to work side-by-side with the UKGC and the UK government on the gambling review that is evidence-led and thus, continue the commitment to reaching higher standards. At the moment, UKGC data shows that there is an increase in online gaming, so it is important to keep the market regulated.

Simmonds also thanked Moyes for his contribution to the UKGC and BGC in the last two years and wished him a lot of success in whatever his future holds.

Boyle Has Worked Mainly in the Financial Sector

Boyle’s resume contains many years of working experience, mainly in the financial sector. Most recently, he was Deloitte’s equity partner and served as a board member, chief operating officer, and chief strategy officer. In a completely unattached sector, he is also the British American Drama Academy’s chair and is the Serpentine Gallery’s trustee in London.

During Boyle’s confirmation, Dowden also shared a few words. He stated that Boyle’s appointment is extremely important to the UKGC, as the commission is fulfilling its manifesto commitment in the first big gambling law review in the past one-and-a-half decade. However, it is worth noting that the changes are unlikely to be implemented before 2022.

Dowden concluded his comment by stating that new leadership brings new focus and direction to the UKGC and that he is excited to work with Boyle. As the UKGC is headed towards a new era of regulating the gambling industry that fits digitalization, Boyle’s expertise will be extremely valuable.