It’s all change at the Gambling Commission at the moment with a new operations director joining the regulator from HMRC. Sue Young takes over the senior role as the regulator continues its search for a new chairman and chief executive.
The Gambling Commission has appointed experienced civil servant Sue Young as its new executive director of operations, as the regulator undergoes a period of leadership change.
Young joins the Commission from HMRC, where she served as director of debt management, following several senior roles at the Home Office.
“I’m excited to be joining the Gambling Commission and to be learning about a new sector,” said Young. “The Commission plays an important role in protecting consumers and ensuring gambling is conducted fairly and safely.”
“I’m looking forward to building on the significant work already underway across the organisation.”
The appointment follows the announcement that Commission CEO Andrew Rhodes would step down from his role next month, and comes amid a wider upheaval of the UK’s gambling industry, with higher taxes, increasing regulatory demands, and a rise in black market usage.
Many stakeholders had hoped the Commission would respond by bolstering the number of key decision makers with knowledge of the industry, however Young’s appointment appears to more directly address the regulator’s concerns regarding its own financial security.
In January, DCMS agreed to consult on increasing the Gambling Commission’s licence fees, with the Commission stating a rise of at least 30 percent is necessary to retain the current level of regulatory activity.
However, there will be some encouragement to take from Young’s experience: her background and political heft could bring a more balanced perspective to the Commission’s work with the new appointee far less susceptible to the institutionalised brain-washing so prevalent at the Commission.
Originally published on Coinslot on March 23, 2026. Republished with permission.