The Gambling Commission appoints Brian Pomeroy as Chair of the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board

Press release

Date: 9 November 2011

Brian Pomeroy CBE has been appointed as the Chair of the independent Responsible Gambling Strategy Board (RGSB) for the period until March 2013.

RGSB advises the Gambling Commission (the Commission) and, in turn, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), on the research, education and treatment components of a national responsible gambling strategy. Over this period Brian has agreed to help develop the new arrangements needed to secure authoritative advice following the decision to move away from the existing tripartite system. Professor David Miers has agreed to continue as Deputy Chair.

Brian succeeds Baroness Neuberger whose three year term of office is coming to an end as she concentrates on her new role as Senior Rabbi at the West London Synagogue.

Philip Graf, the Commission Chairman, said “I am most grateful to Brian Pomeroy for his willingness to take over the Chair of RGSB from Julia Neuberger. He brings a clear understanding of the history and challenges facing all those who are focused on reducing gambling related harm and, during a time of change, continuity to build on the achievements of RGSB under Julia. 

“RGSB will be working closely with GReAT to ensure that projects are clearly evaluated and feedback provided so that strategic advice can be refined accordingly.”

Brian was the Senior Partner of Deloitte Consulting until 1999 when he took up a number of public, private and voluntary sector appointments. He is currently a non-executive director of the Financial Services Authority and Deputy Chairman of QBE Insurance Europe Ltd. He was formerly Chairman of the Treasury’s Financial Inclusion Taskforce, the Gambling Commission, the Payments Council, the National Lottery Commission, Centrepoint and Homeless Link and a member of the Disability Rights Task Force and a trustee of Money Advice Trust for which he now acts as an ambassador.

Ends

Notes to editors

The Gambling Commission

  1. 1. The Gambling Commission (the Commission) regulates gambling in the public interest alongside its co-regulators local licensing authorities. It does so by keeping crime out of gambling, by ensuring that gambling is conducted fairly and openly, and by protecting children and vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling. The Commission also provides independent advice to government on gambling in Britain. 
  2. 2. The Commission and local licensing authorities are responsible for licensing and regulating all gambling in Great Britain other than the National Lottery and spread betting, which are the responsibility of the National Lottery Commission and the Financial Services Authority (FSA) respectively.  
  3. 3. See the Terms & Conditions section of our website for information on legal advice.
  4. 4. RGSB advises the Commission and, in turn the government, on the research, education and treatment components of a national responsible gambling strategy.
  5. 5. RGSB is an unincorporated body and comprises 10 Board members, including the Chair.
  6. 6. RGSB was established following a Commission review into the effectiveness and level of voluntary arrangements for funding research, education and treatment for problem gambling, published in October 2008. This review concluded that current arrangements were not working effectively and that improved voluntary arrangements were required to avoid the introduction of a statutory levy.     

Further information

  1. Further information is available from the Commission's website. Gambling Commission: Julia Mackisack on (0121) 230 6700 or out of hours on 07852 124 624 or communications@gamblingcommission.gov.uk.