Gambling Commission policy chief Tim Miller to leave in September amid UK gambling reform and illegal gambling battles

The UK Gambling Commission is losing one of the people who has been closest to its policy and enforcement work for the past decade. Tim Miller, Executive Director overseeing policy and enforcement, said he will leave in September, right as the regulator is still working through the 2023 Gambling Act review White Paper and the new tax regime introduced in April this year.

1. Miller announced his departure on LinkedIn and said the Gambling Commission had been “the most enjoyable and fulfilling part of my career so far.” He added that “10 years always felt like the right point to take on a new challenge.”
2. His exit lands at a sensitive point for UK gambling regulation. The industry is still adjusting to changes in bonusing and marketing, while the more controversial Financial Risk Assessments (FRAs), better known in the industry as affordability checks, have not yet been fully implemented.
3. Those FRAs remain opposed by both the betting industry and horse racing, which means the regulator’s next phase of work is not exactly a low-drama filing exercise. At the same time, the regulated sector is also dealing with illegal gambling, with the Commission working alongside the government’s Illegal Gambling Taskforce.
4. Miller joined the UK Gambling Commission in 2016 under Sarah Harrison. His remit was to develop an evidence-led system that strengthened the use of research and insights in gambling governance and improved oversight of licensed operators.
5. During his time at the Commission, Miller established the Digital Advisory Panel to improve the regulator’s understanding of emerging technologies and support the overhaul of its digital systems. He also championed GamProtect, the industry’s cross-operator data-sharing initiative designed to create a “single eye of the customer” and let participating licensees identify and voluntarily restrict customers showing severe indicators of gambling-related harm.