Siân Griffiths has been announced as the new chair of trustees for GambleAware, replacing Baroness Kate Lampard. Griffiths, who has served as GambleAware’s deputy chair for several years and chaired its performance and delivery committee, will step into her new role on 18 July.
The experienced public health professional has an illustrious history of leadership. She previously chaired Public Health England’s global health committee and served as an associate non-executive member of the advisory board until its dissolution in September 2021. Griffiths currently holds a non-executive director position at Public Health Wales.
Her extensive experience includes chairing the Hong Kong government’s SARS Inquiry in 2003, following which she became the founding director of the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her impressive resume makes her well-equipped to take on her new responsibilities at GambleAware.
“I am delighted to accept this appointment and to continue working with GambleAware to ensure gambling harms are viewed as a serious public health issue,” Griffiths remarked upon her appointment. She emphasized the importance of GambleAware’s independence from the gambling industry, stating, “GambleAware’s independence from the industry remains paramount and is demonstrated across all areas of the charity’s work. I look forward to continuing these efforts with my public health colleagues and experts within the GambleAware board as we transition to a new statutory funding model.”
Griffiths will be taking over from Baroness Kate Lampard, who has served as chair since 2016. Lampard is stepping down to lead the Lampard Inquiry, which is investigating mental health in-patient deaths in Essex. During her tenure, Lampard was instrumental in advocating for the replacement of the voluntary funding model with an industry statutory levy, a move that has received government support in the Gambling Act white paper.
Lampard also oversaw significant expansions in the gambling harms system, collaborating with the government, NHS, and other third-sector organizations. These efforts culminated in the recommissioning of the National Gambling Support Network.
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Reflecting on her time with GambleAware, Lampard commented, “I’m pleased to be succeeded by Siân and to be leaving the charity in such safe hands. I am proud of what we have achieved and it has been a pleasure to see how the charity and wider gambling harms system has grown over the past eight years. I wish GambleAware and Siân all the best for the future.”
The transition in leadership follows GambleAware’s report last month of a significant 13.8% increase in total voluntary charitable donations for the 2023-24 period. Industry members committed a substantial £49.5 million during this time. Notably, the majority of these donations, approximately 94%, were made by the UK’s four largest gambling operators: Flutter, Entain, Bet365, and William Hill, which is now part of Evoke.
This rise in donations came in the wake of a complaint filed by the Good Law Project to the Charity Commission. The complaint, submitted on behalf of the campaign group Gambling with Lives, accused GambleAware of failing to provide unbiased information to the people it aims to help, citing a “reliance on industry funding” as a significant concern. The complaint questioned whether GambleAware trustees were meeting the charity’s objectives, particularly in offering sufficient gambling harm education.
In response to the allegations, GambleAware chief executive Zoë Osmond defended the charity, expressing confidence that the complaint would not be upheld. The Charity Commission is currently assessing the complaint to determine if it requires intervention.
As Griffiths prepares to take on her new role, the focus remains on strengthening GambleAware’s position as an independent and effective advocate for addressing gambling-related harms. Her extensive experience in public health leadership and commitment to the cause puts her in a strong position to guide the charity through its upcoming challenges and opportunities.
