Sarah Fox joins UK Gambling Commission executive team on secondment from DCMS

Sarah Fox has joined the Gambling Commission’s Executive Team on secondment from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), taking responsibility for the regulator’s Policy, Research and Statistics functions, as well as National Lottery regulation. The appointment follows the departure of Executive Director Tim Miller and further strengthens the Commission’s senior leadership as it continues implementing the UK government’s gambling reform agenda.

Fox arrives after four years leading the Gambling and Lotteries team at DCMS, where she played a central role in developing and implementing the Gambling Act Review white paper, overseeing the transition to the fourth National Lottery licence and shaping policy on society lotteries and horse racing. Her civil service career spans more than 23 years across departments including the Home Office, Department of Health and Social Care, Cabinet Office and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Welcoming the appointment, Acting Chief Executive Sarah Gardner said: “We are incredibly fortunate to have someone with Sarah’s experience joining us. The Commission has an ambitious strategy so having someone who is already working across the gambling and lotteries sector will be invaluable.”

Gardner added that Fox’s appointment would be instrumental as the regulator completes the remaining stages of the gambling white paper reforms, evaluates their impact and continues to protect National Lottery players while maximising returns to Good Causes.

Fox said she was looking forward to taking up the role after working closely with the Commission during her time at DCMS.

“Over the last four years I’ve seen first-hand the work of the Commission, and the expertise, talent and enthusiasm of its teams,” she said. “The opportunity to cross over to the Commission and help the team continue making gambling safer, fairer and crime free is one I am really excited to take.”

The appointment comes at a significant point for the regulator as it continues rolling out the remaining measures from the Gambling Act Review, including the final implementation stages of the white paper reforms and ongoing oversight of the National Lottery.