Ruth Evans will take the chair of the UK Gambling Commission on 30 September 2026 for a five-year term. The appointment was confirmed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport under the Gambling Act 2005.
Evans replaces Charles Counsell, who has been acting chair since February 2025 after Marcus Boyle stepped down in January. Counsell noted that the new chair arrives as the regulator develops its strategy, intensifies work against illegal operators and finalises implementation of measures from the Gambling Act review.
Evans has spent four decades in regulatory bodies, charities and financial oversight. She currently chairs Stop Scams UK, an initiative she founded in 2019 that brings together banks, technology and telecoms companies to fight payment fraud. She previously chaired the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, was the first chair of the Bar Standards Board, and spent nine years on the General Medical Council, where she led the standards and ethics committee. She has also worked as a director at the Serious Fraud Office and recently took on the chair of the Criminal Legal Aid Advisory Board.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said Evans joins at a time when the regulator is balancing consumer protection with support for sustainable industry development. Evans said her focus will be on collaboration between regulators, business and the tech sector to protect online safety and build trust in the sector.
