Paul Darling QC has been appointed the new Chairman of the Association of British Bookmakers (ABB) with effect from 1st May 2014. He takes over from Neil Goulden, who is stepping down to concentrate on his other role as Chairman of the Responsible Gambling Trust.
Barrister Darling was a Non-Executive Director at the Tote (2006-2008) and became a Government Appointed Member of the Horserace Betting Levy Board (Levy Board) in 2008. He will step down from the Levy Board upon taking up his appointment at the ABB.
Darling said: “I am very pleased to take up the appointment as Chairman of the Association of British Bookmakers. Despite the undoubted difficulties which the bookmaking industry faces, I know that this is an exciting time to be involved in it, and I relish the challenge. I very much hope to contribute to an analytical evidence-based approach to the issues.
“From my time as a Director of the Tote (2006-08), I have been a long term supporter of betting offices as an important part of vibrant local communities. I am also a lifelong supporter of British Horseracing and I look forward to continuing the recent constructive dialogue between the bookmaking industry and racing. In the current (difficult) climate much can be achieved by racing and bookmaking working together and I look forward, as Chairman of the ABB, to continuing to foster a more positive relationship between bookmakers and the sports that they support, most notably British Horseracing.”