Rumour has it that Marcus Boyle has been chosen to occupy the Chairman’s position at the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC).
Reportedly, Mr Boyle, 55, is taking over the lead role from Bill Moyes, whose term at the position is set to come to an end in 2021.
Marcus Boyle, who is a former member of the accountancy firm Deloitte’s board, a trustee of the Serpentine Gallery, as well as Chairman of the British American Drama Academy, has been considered a more neutral appointment to the UK gambling regulatory body that is currently contributing to the Government’s ongoing review of the country’s Gambling Act. As the Racing Post wrote, it is understood that the previous experience of Mr Boyle as Chief Strategy Officer at Deloitte helped his application for the UKGC’s Chairman position. His reported appointment at the country’s major gambling regulatory body is expected to be beneficial for the gambling industry.
According to reports from a few local media hubs, an official announcement over his appointment at the Chairman role of the UK Gambling Commission is set to be made in the next few days.
Recently, the gambling watchdog of the UK has faced some harsh criticism over its failure to minimise problem gambling in the country. As mentioned above, the Gambling Commission has been currently participating in the Gambling Act’s review that is being carried out by the British Government.
Boyle Emerged as One of the Shortlisted Candidates to Replace Bill Moyes at the Chairman Role
The UKGC will see the term of its current Chairman Bill Moyes come to an end by the end of 2021, so the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) has reportedly chosen Marcus Boyle as Mr Moyes’ successor.
Earlier in August, reports emerged that the UK gambling watchdog has settled on a 4-person shortlist of candidates who may replace Bill Moyes in the Chairman role. At that time, Mr Boyle was one of the four individuals pointed out as a possible replacement for Moyes. The other three were Lord Chadlington, a Conservative peer and safer gambling campaigner, Anna van der Gaag, the chair of the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board, and an unnamed internal candidate, presumably an existing member of the UKGC rather than a regulatory officer.
When his professional experience and personal qualities are taken into account, Mr Boyle has been considered the one who was most likely to emerge as the front-runner for the Chairman role. Lord Chadlington has been described as a more PR-oriented figure that may struggle to become the leader the UKGC needs and may also fail to ensure his independence from the Government. On the other hand, Dr Anna van der Gaag has not been addressed as the most adequate candidate for the job, as she has not successfully established a reputation for independence or could get in closer ties to the gambling industry.
- Author
Daniel Williams
