Some of our more keen readers tuning in during the festive period will have seen our breakdown of the biggest leadership appointments at the industry’s operators and suppliers this year, and we thank you for taking a break from the festivities to read.
It’s important to remember though that operators and suppliers are far from the only members of this ecosystem, and this is nowhere more apparent than the UK. Trade bodies and charity organisations are huge stakeholders in UK gambling, and 2025 laid this bare as regulatory adjustments continued and lobbying around tax escalated.
Anna Hargrave, GambleAware
The UK is home to a huge range of gambling harm prevention, treatment and education charities, and none of them are as prominent as GambleAware. The organisation has functioned as the lead commissioner for gambling harm treatment funding, via a voluntary industry levy, since 2002.
This is set to come to an end, however, with the charity scheduled to close its doors in March 2026. This is because the NHS is taking on the role of lead commissioner for gambling harm treatment programmes, a key part of the research, education and treatment (RET) levy set up by the Gambling Act review.
Following GambleAware’s announcement of its scheduled closure, Zoe Osmund, who had been CEO of the charity since 2021, subsequently stepped down. She has been replaced in the role by Anna Hargrave.
“The final six months are critical for the smooth transfer and transition to the new system and I am delighted to be taking on this role,’ Hargrave said.
Lord Charles Allen, BHA
Horse racing has had a rollercoaster of a year. The sport’s relationships with both the betting industry and the government, and the wider field of politics in general, have been tested like never before.
The tax debate is the reason for this. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) took its lobbying role extremely seriously this year, going as far as to call a strike in September which drew the ire of the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC).
Just a couple of months earlier, the appointment of Lord Charles Allen as Chair of the BHA showed how the relations between the two could remain cordial amidst extensive lobbying, however, with it being welcomed by BGC Chair, Michael Dugher.
Joseph Cullis and Jeremy Godden, Bacta
Speaking of campaigning, Bacta had a lot of that to deal with this year too, much of it under the leadership of Joseph Cullis and Jeremy Godden, who became President and Vice President, respectively, back in May.
The duo took the reins amid the implantation of Gambling Act review recommendations for gaming machines. At the time, Cullis said that he and his VP had ‘no illusions about the scale of the task ahead of them’.
Tax would later become a big part of this task as Bacta and its counterparts in the BGC and BHA tried to make the case against substantial tax increases. While tax hikes ultimately came, Bacta’s members got off lightly in many cases, particularly bingo operators.
Jim Mullen, The Jockey Club
Jim Mullen became CEO of The Jockey Club in April 2025, bringing with him years of experience in the betting sector. As former CEO of Ladbrokes Coral, Mullen likely has a deep understanding of how significant racing is to the UK retail betting product.
The BHA is not the only major association representing the UK horse racing industry, sharing its role with the Jockey Club, the Racecourse Owners Association (ROA) and Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA), each representing a different element of the industry.
While the Jockey Club is not strictly a trade body, rather being a racecourse operator with management of 15 British racetracks, it is still a significant player with the ability to influence policy affecting racing, and by extension, betting.
Victoria Corbishley, GamCare
Back to the charities – GamCare is one of the most prominent names in the UK gambling harm prevention and treatment space, alongside the aforementioned GambleAware, outgoing funding commissioner; treatment and rehab provider Gordon Moody; and treatment education group YGAM, among others.
Victoria Corbishley became CEO of GamCare in February 2025, bringing with her an extensive background in healthcare, having led several NHS projects.
Her appointment came at an ideal time for the charity, with the NHS taking on funding commissioning roles, and with a public health view of gambling becoming increasingly prominent in policy discussions.
“My focus will be on ensuring GamCare remains a leader in delivering life-changing interventions while working closely with partners across the NHS and the wider sector to shape the future of gambling harm prevention and treatment,” Corbishley said.
Philip Davies, GBGB
The links between betting, sports and politics were laid bare this year during the heated tax debate, with widespread concerns about the impact that sharper taxes on gaming could have on both the industry and its sporting counterparts.
Reflecting the importance of politics to both sectors was the appointment of Philip Davies, a veteran Conservative MP and long-time political supporter of the betting industry, to the board of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB).
A new Chair for the GBGB comes at a crucial time for the British greyhound racing sector, with the Welsh government moving to ban the sport, while calls for a similar move in Scotland continue to be heard.