Nick Rust will be leaving his post as chair of the Gambling Commission’s Industry Forum after two years in office. Proud of the work the group had done but frustrated by the public discourse, Rust exits with both grace and dignity. Whether those frustrations are addressed by the Commission ahead of appointing his successor will certainly be a challenge for the regulator – it should possibly start with paying the Industry Forum some due respect and actually listening to it.
Nick Rust has announced he is to step down as chair of the Gambling Commission’s industry forum two years after creating the role, citing upcoming commitments as the reason for his exit.
The former British Horseracing Association CEO said the committee of sector stakeholders had done “lots of good work” with the Commission, but acknowledged his position became mired by frustrations over public discourse.
“I am going to be pretty busy over this winter, which meant I felt I couldn’t give it enough time, that was the main reason,” said Rust. “I think the commission has got a very tough job on, I think they are under-resourced and they are doing lots of good work but the public policy discourse with regard to gambling does frustrate me at times.”
“I have found myself feeling that I should be lobbying on behalf of the industry when actually my role is to provide advice and guidance to the commission. The commission has not frustrated me but the public discourse about gambling, and the pressure on the commission around the policy that emerges from that, it can be frustrating.”
Speaking on Rust’s departure, Commission CEO Andrew Rhodes said: “Nick has been such a valuable sounding board, a constant fount of knowledge and insight and a great support to me personally.”
An opportunity squandered … or squashed?
Generous words from the chief executive of the Gambling Commission who bid a fond farewell to Industry Forum chair Nick Rust.
But it will be considered by most that he should have listened far more to the Forum chief than he actually did. That is regarded throughout industry circles as one of the major missed opportunities by the Commission – and the Forum itself one of the biggest disappointments.
But it’s certainly not for the lack of endeavour on either Rust or the industry’s part, rather the lack of gravitas the Commission assigned the Forum, compared, for example, to the Lived Experience groups which the Commission has sat at the top table of every policy consideration.
Rust’s departure will be met with some sadness, not least because his knowledge was both wasted by and wasted on the Commission.
You only have to read the minutes of the Industry Forum on the Gambling Commission website to recognise how little regard the regulator held the group.
Rust is far too diplomatic to venture into this discussion – the pubic policy discourse was, he said in parting, “frustrating”.
Not half as frustrating as the Gambling Commission’s antipathy to the Industry Forum.
