Industry

Ex-UKGC Policy Chief Launches Global Anti-Black Market Firm

Leo M �� Published 23 September 2026 �� Updated 23 September 2026

Tim Miller, who spent a decade as the Gambling Commission’s executive director of policy and research before leaving the regulator this month, has launched a new international advisory firm called GamReg Consulting, aimed at helping governments and regulators design gambling rules and confront illegal markets.

What’s actually changed

Miller first announced his departure from the Commission in late June 2026, telling colleagues it was time for
“the most enjoyable and fulfilling part of my career so far”
to come to an end after ten years in the role. His last day at the regulator fell in September, and he has now set out what comes next.
Miller has set up GamReg Consulting, a global specialist advisory firm focused on supporting “governments, regulators and others”
, though it remains unclear whether operators and suppliers could also become clients.

A core focus of GamReg’s consultancy will be combatting illegal gambling markets, guiding clients in aligning regulation, industry practices and technological solutions so consumers have strong incentives to stay licensed
.
The company has already started working with partners in North America and plans to extend its activities to other international stakeholders during 2027
, though Miller has indicated he is not ruling out UK work further down the line once the practice is established elsewhere.

Explaining the rationale, Miller said
“regulators everywhere are dealing with fast-moving markets alongside heightened expectations,” adding that they need “practical, credible approaches that keep players safe while supporting a compelling consumer offer”
. He was more pointed on method, arguing that
successful regulatory systems will not be built on blunt tools like ever-increasing tax hikes or blanket prohibitions, and that the best regulation ahead will be evidence-led and technology-driven
.

What it means for you

There’s no immediate change to your Gambling Commission-licensed account, deposit limits or complaints process from this move — Miller’s new venture sits outside UK regulation for now. But his exit matters to players because of what it represents: continuity at the top of the body that sets and enforces the rules protecting you is thinner than it has been.
Miller’s departure was the second from the Commission’s senior team in 2026, following chief executive Andrew Rhodes leaving in April after almost five years
, with deputy chief executive Sarah Gardner stepping up on an acting basis in the interim.

During his tenure, Miller had direct responsibility for turning policy into practice on measures that affect your account day to day.
He led the Commission’s work implementing the Government’s Gambling Act Review White Paper, overseeing measures including reforms to age verification, financial vulnerability checks, remote game design and direct marketing controls
. He also
oversaw the development of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain, which the Commission describes as one of the largest studies of gambling
participation in the world — the data source regulators and campaigners increasingly cite when arguing for tighter safer-gambling rules.

The bigger picture

Miller’s move fits a pattern of senior UKGC figures moving into consultancy after leaving the regulator;
Andrew Rhodes left the Commission to take up a role as a consultant to a gambling law firm
. It also lands as the regulator has been working through its own version of red-tape reform, having
invited industry stakeholders to share ideas on how regulatory requirements, guidance and operational processes could be streamlined without compromising consumer protections, with responses due by 25 September 2026
.

Miller’s new focus on illegal gambling also echoes concerns he raised before leaving. Speaking earlier this year,
he told NEXT.io at iGB Live that he had concerns about some legal gaming companies, saying they were known to be engaged with the black market
. For players, the through-line is that the fight against unlicensed operators — and the argument over how much regulation, tax and enforcement is the right mix to keep people on licensed, protected sites — is now being shaped as much by former regulators-turned-advisers as by the Commission itself.

Sources

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