Ruth Evans Appointed Gambling Commission Chair for Five-Year Term

The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has appointed Ruth Evans as Chair of the Gambling Commission for a term of five years starting on September 30, 2026. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport announced the appointment on September 7, 2026, naming Evans as the incoming chair of the UK gambling regulator.

Evans joins the Commission after a career spanning more than four decades across charities, public regulatory bodies and financial oversight boards, with a focus on public protection, consumer rights and institutional accountability. She currently serves as Chair of Stop Scams UK, a collaboration between major banks, technology companies and telecoms firms, and was recently appointed Chair of the Criminal Legal Aid Advisory Board.

Her previous regulatory roles include serving as Chair of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, the body that regulates MPs’ pay and expenses. She was the first Chair of the Bar Standards Board, spent nine years as a Lay Member of the General Medical Council chairing its Standards and Ethics Committee, and served as a Non-Executive Director of the Serious Fraud Office.

In 2018, Evans chaired the steering group that delivered a voluntary industry code to reimburse victims of Authorised Push Payment bank transfer scams. The government notice describes her as a prominent UK regulatory figure and consumer champion, best known today for her role at Stop Scams UK and her work combatting financial crime and protecting fraud victims.

Government and Regulator Statements

DCMS Secretary of State Lisa Nandy said: “I am pleased to announce Ruth Evans as the incoming chair of the Gambling Commission. She becomes Chair at this incredibly important time, supporting a sustainable, thriving industry with the essential protections needed to prevent harm.”

Nandy also thanked Charles Counsell OBE for his leadership of the Gambling Commission since February 2025, describing him as a passionate and diligent Chair. Counsell has served as Interim Chair.

Evans said: “I am delighted to have been appointed Chair of the Gambling Commission at a time when its role in keeping gambling fair, safe and crime-free is more important than ever. Throughout my career in consumer protection, I have seen that the best outcomes are achieved through effective collaboration between regulators, industry and the technology sector.”

Evans added that she looked forward to working with the Commission to encourage online safety for UK citizens, strengthen consumer protections and support what she described as a responsible, innovative and sustainable gambling sector. She said combining proportionate regulation with partnership and shared responsibility could build greater public confidence and create lasting benefits for consumers and the wider economy.

Counsell, the outgoing Interim Chair, said the Commission was delighted to welcome Evans. He said her regulatory and consumer experience would be invaluable to the Board as the Commission continues its work to make gambling safer, fairer and crime-free.

Counsell said Evans joins at an important time for the gambling sector and the Commission, citing the development of a new strategy, work to tackle illegal gambling and the completion of the Commission’s part in the implementation of the Gambling Act Review. He said her role would be pivotal in the years ahead.

Appointment Terms and Process

Under the Gambling Act 2005, the appointment of the Chair of the Gambling Commission is made by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. The Act assigns the appointment power to the department rather than to the regulator itself.

Ministers were assisted in their decision making by an Advisory Assessment Panel, which included a senior departmental official and a Senior Independent Panel Member approved by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

The appointment was made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments, and the appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared, covering holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation or candidature for election. The notice states that Evans has not declared any significant political activity.

The Chair of the Gambling Commission is remunerated at £85,000 per annum for a time commitment of two days per week. Evans’s five-year term begins on September 30, 2026.