Gardner offers a behind-the-scenes look at regulation 

Sarah Gardner has first-hand knowledge of the challenges facing UK gambling regulation. Having spent nearly 17 years at the Gambling Commission, where she is now acting chief executive, she advocates an approach based on a delicate balance: enabling players to enjoy a leisure activity whilst protecting those most at risk. 

A leader at the heart of a period of transition 

The UK Gambling Commission is undergoing a period of significant change. Sarah Gardner is currently serving as acting chief executive following the departure of Andrew Rhodes in February 2026. Tim Miller, director of regulatory policy, also announced in June his intention to leave the organisation after ten years of service. Speaking in July, Miller gave a positive assessment of his decade with the regulator. Some of his responsibilities are now set to be taken over from September by Sarah Fox, a senior civil servant from the UK government department responsible, amongst other things, for digital, culture, media and sport. 

In this context, Sarah Gardner represents a sense of continuity. Her career with the UK gambling regulator has spanned nearly 17 years and has seen her hold a number of roles. She even jokes about being the sort of person destined to spend her entire career at the Commission. 

“The Commission has proved rather difficult to leave. I think there’s always a new challenge. Someone once described gambling regulation to me as something utterly captivating. I might not go that far, but it certainly keeps you very interested.” 

Regulating without preventing players from gambling 

Sarah Gardner believes the sector is of particular interest precisely because it forces the authorities to strike a balance between objectives that can come into conflict. On the one hand, consumers must be able to freely enjoy an activity they engage in during their leisure time. On the other hand, some people need protective measures. 

“From a regulatory perspective, it’s a really interesting sector because we’re genuinely trying to strike the right balance between allowing people to enjoy what they like to do in their spare time and ensuring that safeguards are in place for those who need them.” 

This quest for balance, she says, partly explains her attachment to the organisation. Gardner also states that she has held most of the roles represented around the Commission’s executive table during her years with the organisation. 

“The approach I am increasingly trying to promote at the Commission is to be more creative and not always resort to the most heavy-handed measures.” 

Financial controls become the key test 

Financial risk assessments, also presented as controls relating to players’ financial capacity, are among the most divisive issues for the UK sector. 

A pilot scheme was carried out in 2025. Players with high spending across several major operators were then flagged for additional credit checks carried out by independent bodies. 

In 2026, the Commission delayed its announcement regarding the measure before confirming in July that it would be officially introduced on a phased basis. This decision provoked a negative reaction from several parts of the sector. The horse racing industry and political figures also voiced their opposition. 

Sarah Gardner sees this issue as an example of the search for a balance between consumer freedom and the protection of the most vulnerable. In her view, the aim is to identify more precisely those players who genuinely need support, rather than imposing additional requirements on a much larger number of consumers. 

“What we are currently doing with regard to financial risk assessments, however controversial it may be, is a very good example of striking a balance between players’ enjoyment and consumer protection.” 

The debate on financial checks is not solely about their effectiveness. It directly touches on the issue of privacy and the acceptable level of intervention when a person is engaging in a leisure activity. 

Sarah Gardner implicitly acknowledges this difficulty when she explains why she believes a more targeted approach is preferable. The aim, she says, is to avoid requesting additional documentation from a much larger group of players when it is not necessary. 

“That way, you don’t have to request additional documents from a much larger sample of consumers, which, frankly, strikes me as far too intrusive for what is supposed to be a leisure activity.” 

In her view, consumer protection does not mean that every player must automatically be subject to the same level of scrutiny. The challenge lies rather in identifying those who require extra attention without turning a targeted protective measure into a blanket procedure. 

“Regulation can be a thankless task” 

Sarah Gardner makes no secret of another reality of her job: a regulatory decision can be seen as insufficient by some and excessive by others at the same time. For the acting chief executive, this constant opposition is almost part and parcel of the role. 

“Regulation can be quite a thankless task because you can never please everyone. I can’t think of a single announcement I’ve made where one half of the debate hasn’t said, ‘That doesn’t go far enough’, whilst the other half said, ‘That might go too far’. That can actually be an indicator that, on the whole, you’re on the right track.” 

Sarah Gardner’s career ultimately helps to explain why gambling regulation remains such a delicate exercise in the UK. 

After nearly 17 years with the Commission, she says she has stayed precisely because the issues are constantly evolving. She now wants to encourage the organisation to seek more creative and targeted solutions rather than systematically resorting to the most burdensome regulatory measures.