After almost a decade as Chief Executive, Marc Etches has announced he will step down from his role as Chief Executive of GambleAware at the end of March 2021.

Under Marc Etches’ leadership, GambleAware has evolved to become the primary commissioner and convenor of services dedicated to reducing and preventing gambling harms in Great Britain. Formerly known as the Responsible Gambling Trust, the charity is now guided by a public health approach, overseen by a wholly independent and expert Board of Trustees, and works collaboratively with those in the public health sector, including the NHS, public health agencies, local authorities and voluntary sector organisations.

Marc Etches has led a substantial increase in funding and donations during his time as CEO and leading members of the Betting and Gaming Council have recently committed further funding of £100 million for the next four years. The charity now has £40m of grant funding under active management and the additional pledged funding will help GambleAware to continue to develop the National Gambling Treatment Service with its partners across England, Scotland and Wales.

The process to select a new Chief Executive will be led and overseen by GambleAware’s Board of Trustees. As GambleAware enters into the next stage of its evolution, the independent Board will look to appoint someone with appropriate expertise, including in commissioning healthcare services, who will be able to continue to ensure gambling harms are understood and tackled as a matter of public and individual health and wellbeing.

Commenting on Marc Etches’ departure, Kate Lampard CBE, Chair of GambleAware said:

“It has been a pleasure working with Marc over the past four years and he has taken the charity from strength to strength. As a result of his hard work, GambleAware has developed the expertise and sustainability to continue to deliver and work with partners across the healthcare spectrum to prevent and protect against gambling harms. I look forward to continuing this important work with a new Chief Executive next year.”

Marc Etches also commented: “It has been an extraordinary privilege to serve as CEO for nearly a decade and I am enormously proud of the charity’s development and the contribution it makes, in partnerships with others, to keeping people safe from gambling harms.

With the prospect of a new era of increased funding and wider commissioning responsibilities, it is the right time for the charity to find someone with the skills and expertise necessary to take it into the next stage of its evolution.

I want to thank the Board of trustees and the entire staff team at GambleAware for their hard work and commitment to the charity’s purpose as well as for their magnificent personal support of me.”