The UK Gambling Commission’s acting CEO Sarah Gardner has urged Allwyn UK to set the benchmark for player protection across the entire gambling sector.
Gardner made her remarks at Allwyn UK’s Participant Protection Conference, pushing the lottery operator to boost its returns to good causes alongside higher consumer safety standards.
The UKGC boss was broadly positive in tone, acknowledging the significant challenges Allwyn UK has faced over the past couple of years as it works to stabilise its operations.
Gardner welcomed William Hill’s former UK and Ireland chief Phil Walker as the operator’s interim CEO, signalling cautious optimism about the direction of the organisation going forward.
It has been a turbulent period for the winner of the fourth National Lottery licence, with former CEO Andria Vidler stepping down in September after overseeing the completion of a delayed and heavily over-budget tech upgrade.
That technology overhaul reportedly ended up costing around £450m, having gone significantly over budget, placing considerable financial and reputational strain on the operator.
Walker’s own appointment has also attracted scrutiny, as from June 2025 until recently he served as a non-executive director at major UK adult gaming centre operator City Gaming Limited.
Some critics have argued it is inappropriate for the National Lottery to be run by someone with a background in 24-hour slots, adding another layer of controversy to the leadership transition.
Against this backdrop, Gardner was keen to encourage the operator to embrace innovation while keeping player protection at the centre of everything it does.
In her speech, Gardner said: “When it comes to participant protection we all want progress too. All of us being here today is strong evidence that progress has been made. But of course, there is always more to do.”
Gardner described the lottery as a national institution, noting that its products are often viewed as distinct from the broader gambling industry due to the vital role they play in raising funds for good causes.
She made clear that Allwyn is expected “to be at the forefront in terms of determining and demonstrating best practice when it comes to protecting players,” setting a high bar for the operator moving forward.
With sales targets proving difficult to hit in recent periods, the pressure on Allwyn to deliver both commercially and on responsible gambling commitments has never been greater.
The tech upgrade that caused so much disruption was partly designed to embed stronger player protections into how the lottery operates day to day, making its success all the more important for regulatory confidence.
