The UK Gambling Commission has appointed Andrew Rhodes as the permanent chief executive. Rhodes was appointed as interim chief executive of the British regulator back in June 2021, two months after Neil McArthur decided to step down.
Rhodes Was Rumored to Remain at the Helm Since January
Even though the UKGC appointed Rhodes as the CEO of the company for 18 months in 2021, his persistency and effectiveness came to light and media outlets started reporting that the commission may keep him permanently.
Rhodes was pretty active as interim CEO, as he worked with the UK government in the process of reviewing the UK Gambling Act. Authorities were under a lot of scrutiny by the public over the continuous delays in the reviewing process.
Not only that, but Rhodes played a major role when the regulator published its new set of rules concerning customers at high risk, which will become effective on September 12, 2022. Additionally, Rhodes oversaw the agenda of the UKGC concerning the handling of the lottery license, which was won by Allwyn. The company is set to replace Camelot, which held the license for the National Lottery for 28 years.
Recently, Camelot expressed its concerns over the new license, stating that since the company held the National Lottery license for so long, it based all of its operations on the profits made from the lottery. That’s why the company faces the risk of going bankrupt now but noted that setting the politics in such a way is the fault of Camelot.
In a statement, the UKGC said that Rhodes will continue to work with the board of commissioners and Marcus Boyle, as well as senior leadership teams to make sure that the gambling industry in the UK “is regulated strongly and effectively.”
UKGC Is Determined to Keep the Country’s Gambling Industry Safe
The British regulator is known for imposing strict rules on operators as it seeks to make sure that the gambling industry is well-regulated and the highest standards are respected. Operators that fail to meet these standards are known to face punishment from the commission.
Most recently, that happened to Jumpman Gaming and Progress Play as these two companies had to pay over $830,000 in fines. According to the UKGC, both operators did not comply with their license obligations and code of practice.
Additionally, an investigation by the commission into Goldchip Limited resulted in the regulator suspending the company’s license. The UKGC cited breaches of the Gambling Act and noted that Goldchip Limited may have been working outside of the regulatory framework.
The UKGC noted that a thorough review will follow and added that it expects Goldchip Limited to keep its consumers informed about the latest developments in its case.