Key points:
- Baroness Hilary Armstrong steps down from GambleAware board
- Armstrong served over three years with GambleAware, joining in 2021
- She moves on to become Chair of a new Government committee in the UK
Baroness Hilary Armstrong has officially resigned from her position on the GambleAware Board of Trustees, moving on to become Chair of the UK Government’s newly incepted Digital Inclusion Action Committee.
After joining the GambleAware Board in 2021, Armstrong has spent over three years working with the organisation to address gambling harm in the UK. Now, the former Labour MP moves on to head up the new committee, which will work in close collaboration with the Government's Department of Science, Innovation and Technology.
Commenting on this latest news was Professor Siân Griffiths CBE, Chair of trustees for GambleAware, who said: “As Chair of trustees for GambleAware, I send my sincere congratulations to Baroness Hilary Armstrong on her appointment as Chair of the Government’s newly formed Digital Inclusion Action Committee. This is a vastly important role, and one which Baroness Armstrong will bring immense expertise and insight to.
“I would like to take this opportunity to share my most heartfelt thanks to Hilary for her hard work and commitment to addressing gambling harm since she joined GambleAware’s Board in 2021. While we appreciate that she will be unable to continue in her role as trustee for GambleAware, we are pleased to have her continued interest and support in addressing gambling harms. Hilary has had a significant impact on the charity over the years.”
Good to know: GambleAware’s annual report for April 2023 – March 2024 revealed a 12% increase in people who received treatment for problem gambling
For GambleAware, this latest development follows an additional report – released in November – which suggests that Britain falls behind Europe in regulating its gambling marketing techniques. Further, last August, GambleAware published its Annual Treatment and Support Survey, which observed legacy harms of gambling for the first time.
Also in November 2024, the organisation welcomed the UK mandatory gambling tax levy, emphasising the importance of appointing a prevention commissioner to make sure gambling harms continue to be addressed.
