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National lottery faces scrutiny over interim CEO Phil Walker’s gambling record
UK MPs warned the Gambling Commission that Walker previously faced a 2024 sanction tied to money laundering and terrorist financing control failures at William Hill, which was fined a record £19.2 million in the prior year.
The UK national lottery operator Allwyn UK is facing questions after naming Phil Walker, a former boss at William Hill, as its interim chief executive, replacing Andria Vidler. Allwyn UK, which holds a licence to run the Lottery until 2034, appointed Walker last week.
In a letter seen by The Guardian, Labour MP Dawn Butler and Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith told the Gambling Commission they were “deeply concerned” by Walker’s appointment. They pointed to roles Walker held at William Hill and Game Nation, including a position connected to 24-hour slot machine venues that the prime minister has criticized as a blight on British high streets.
The MPs said Walker was subject to a personal sanction imposed by the regulator in 2024 over what they described as “widespread and alarming” failures to enforce money laundering and terrorist financing controls at William Hill. They added that William Hill was fined a record £19.2 million the previous year.
They also raised concerns about Walker’s boardroom role with Game Nation, which the article describes as the UK’s third-largest chain of adult gaming centres that operate 24 hours a day in most cases. The Guardian reports that Walker previously said, when taking a job with City Gaming Ltd, that he was excited to develop and grow the company over the coming years.