Andrew Rhodes has emphasised that the next five years will be of significant consequence for the gambling industry, as he confirmed he is joining global gambling advisory Hawkbridge as a ‘Principal Consultant’, to advise partners on regulatory engagement.
The appointment will see the former Chief Executive of the UK Gambling Commission transition into private-sector work following his departure from the Gambling Commission in April, ending a five-year tenure at the helm of Britain’s gambling regulator.
At Hawkbridge, Rhodes will advise operators, suppliers, investors and boards on UK and international regulatory strategies, government relations, corporate governance and operational standards.
Rhodes is one of the most prominent figures to have led the Gambling Commission as a senior civil servant who had previously led the day-to-day operations of the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP).
He was appointed Chief Executive in June 2021 amid the fallout of the Football Index collapse, a period that prompted widespread criticism of regulatory oversight of the gambling industry; it subsequently resulted in significant reforms to the Commission’s governance and enforcement priorities.
His tenure coincided with some of the most consequential changes to Britain’s gambling framework in a generation.
Rhodes oversaw the implementation of measures stemming from the Gambling Act Review, the award of the Fourth National Lottery licence to Allwyn, and a substantial strengthening of the Commission’s focus on consumer protection, affordability assessments, operating standards, and the overall conduct of licences.
Commenting on his appointment, Rhodes said: “I have decided to join the founders of Hawkbridge for a simple reason: there has rarely been a single source of regulatory, commercial and operational advice at such a senior and experienced level available to the sector. The best counsel draws on every vantage point, operator, adviser and regulator alike, which is why I am so pleased to bring my own experience to Hawkbridge.”
Under his leadership, the Commission adopted a more interventionist approach to enforcement, issuing a series of record penalties against major operators.
These included a £19m enforcement action against William Hill in 2023 – the largest penalty in the regulator’s history – and a £17m settlement with Entain Plc in 2022 for anti-money laundering and social responsibility failings.
The move to Hawkbridge has attracted significant attention across gambling industry circles, given Rhodes’ central role in shaping current UK gambling regulation.
Hawkbridge deems his appointment as vital due to increased demand by partners for specialist regulatory expertise among operators, investors and suppliers navigating complex international markets.
Bahar Alaeddini, Co-Founder of Hawkbridge, welcomed the appointment, stating: “Hawkbridge was established to give operators, suppliers, investors and boards sharp, pragmatic counsel on the questions that sit above legal advice and beyond commercial diligence. Andrew’s appointment strengthens that offering.”
As such, the addition of a former Gambling Commission Chief Executive further strengthens its credentials as a specialist adviser at a time when regulatory developments continue to dominate boardroom discussions across the gambling sector.
Rhodes concluded: “The next five years will be more consequential for gambling regulation than we have seen in many years, and even more so than I saw as Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission in the previous five years. This brings uncharted challenges for boards, investors and leaders.”
