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Michael Dugher has stepped down from his role at the Betting and Gaming Council after six years as chair of the standards body.
His departure takes immediate effect as he moves into a new position at Brunswick Group, where he will lead the firm’s UK Public Affairs Practice.
Dugher’s time with the BGC began as its founding Chief Executive, a post he held for more than four years before becoming Chair in April 2024. Alongside his new responsibilities, he will continue to advise businesses independently and keep his seat on the board of Nottingham Forest Football Club, where he also serves as a director.
Dugher led UK’s most extensive gambling reform in a generation
Dugher’s leadership at the Betting and Gaming Council began with uniting a scattered industry. He brought together land-based casinos, bookmakers, online betting, gaming, and bingo under one umbrella, creating a single standards body for the regulated sector.
From there, he guided the industry through the release of the Gambling White Paper in 2023, a landmark document that introduced sweeping legislative and regulatory changes not seen in decades.
His political background as a former Labour MP and Shadow Secretary of State for DCMS helped him build strong ties with the Gambling Commission and other stakeholders. Those relationships were key to driving higher standards, including the introduction of 20 safer gambling codes and 100 new measures designed to protect players.
He was also a big fan of horse racing and launched charity initiatives, including the Britannia Stakes charity race at Royal Ascot and the Grand National Charity Bet that raised more than £6.5 million for good causes with the support of BGC members.
Dugher proud of BGC’s achievements
Talking about his time at the BGC, Dugher said he was “immensely proud of everything we have achieved at the BGC.”
He gave credit to his colleagues and members for helping to unite the industry, raise standards in safer gambling, and support an employment base that stretches across communities throughout the UK.
“In an era when there is sadly so much ignorance and snobbery about betting – not helped, in my view, by the decline in the number of working-class people in Parliament – the BGC did a difficult job in navigating the industry through the previous Government’s gambling review. This resulted in a White Paper that, though not without its challenges, avoided many of the most draconian and disproportionate measures advocated by anti-gambling prohibitionists,” Dugher stated.
However, he warned that progress is at risk as harmful gambling grows in the unregulated online black market. The industry expert closed by wishing the industry and the sports on its funding, “not least British horseracing,” every success in the years to come.
Industry reps pay tributes
BGC Chief Executive Grainne Hurst praised Dugher’s six years of leadership, calling his contribution “exceptional.” She said he brought “clarity of purpose, a trusted standing with policymakers and regulators, and a steadfast commitment to championing a responsible, well‑regulated betting and gaming industry.”
She noted his role in leading the industry through the Gambling Act Review and the White Paper, calling his leadership key in the modern gambling landscape that UK players now enjoy.
“On a personal note, it has been a genuine privilege to work alongside Michael,” she said, adding that he leaves “a proud and lasting legacy at the BGC.”
Ian Proctor, Chairman of Flutter UK & Ireland, shared those sentiments, saying Dugher “worked tirelessly to help establish the BGC as a strong and authoritative body for the regulated industry.”
“I would like to thank Michael for all his hard work and, on behalf of the wider industry, wish him every success in the future,” he added.
Image Source: Betting and Gaming Council press release
