The Gambling Commission has appointed Sarah Fox to its Executive Team, with her new role set to begin in September. She will join the regulator on secondment from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), where she currently leads the government's gambling and lotteries team.
Fox will take responsibility for the Commission's Policy and Research and Statistics functions, along with National Lottery regulation. Her arrival comes after Tim Miller confirmed he will leave the organisation in September following a decade of service.
New Leadership Role Begins in September
Fox has spent the past four years leading the Gambling and Lotteries team at DCMS. During that time, she worked on the gambling white paper and its implementation, oversaw the transition to the fourth National Lottery Licence, and managed policy responsibilities covering areas including society lotteries and horse racing.
Her Civil Service career spans more than 23 years. Throughout that period, she has held operational, strategic and policy positions across several government departments, including the Home Office, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Cabinet Office, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and DCMS.
Alongside her policy responsibilities, Fox also serves as DCMS's senior disability champion. In that position, she supports the department's staff network and draws on her own experiences to improve disability confidence across the organisation.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport focuses on culture, arts, media, sport, tourism and civil society throughout England. It also supports the country's cultural and creative sectors, promotes participation in sport, and works with 42 agencies and public bodies.
Focus on Gambling Reforms and Lottery Oversight
Sarah Gardner, Acting Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission, welcomed the appointment and highlighted the experience Fox will bring to the organisation.
“I am delighted to welcome Sarah to the Commission.
“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.
“Sarah’s role will be a vital one as we complete the final stages of the implementation of the white paper, assess the impacts of these changes, and continue to ensure the interests of National Lottery players are protected and that returns to Good Causes are maximised.”
Fox said she was looking forward to joining the regulator after working closely with it during her time in government.
“Over the last four years I've seen first-hand the work of the Commission, and the expertise, talent and enthusiasm of its teams. So much has been achieved over a time that has been significant for the gambling sector and everyone with an interest in it.
“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.”
Her appointment adds another change to the Gambling Commission's senior leadership as the organisation continues work linked to gambling reform and oversight of the National Lottery.
Commission Continues Wider Regulatory Work
Alongside strengthening its leadership team with Sarah Fox's appointment, the Gambling Commission continues to press ahead with wider regulatory changes across the UK gambling sector.
Earlier this year, the regulator delayed the introduction of new deposit limit requirements from 30 June to 30 September 2026 after operators requested more time to update their systems. The Commission also released fresh data on the impact of online slot stake limits, showing that overall slots revenue increased even though spending, session length and the number of spins per session declined.
At the same time, longer gambling sessions became less common, while automated safer gambling interventions increased as operators refined the systems used to identify potentially harmful play. These developments reflect the Commission's ongoing work to implement gambling reforms, monitor industry performance and assess how regulatory changes affect both consumers and operators.
Source:
Sarah Fox to join the Gambling Commission, gamblingcommission.gov.uk, 29 July 2026.
Your feedback
Please enter your comment.
Your comment is added.
