Steve Brennan, who has been the chief executive of the Isle of Man’s Gambling Supervision Commission for nearly two decades, has announced he will be stepping down. During his tenure leading the island’s regulatory body, he managed the creation, rise, and boom of the iGaming industry, which now occupies an important part of the island’s economy.
Brennan revealed his decision to step down in a social media post, stating he will be leaving his position towards the end of the year. He concluded his announcement by saying: “I’ve enjoyed my time enormously and hopefully contributed, in some way, to the advancement of regulating, and regulation of, online gambling.”
iGaming on the Isle of Man
The Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown dependency, is known for its tax-friendly jurisdiction and was one of the first to offer legislation and regulation for iGaming activities. This has attracted many iGaming companies to the small island in the Irish Sea, located between Great Britain and Ireland.
In 2014, online gambling sites provided about 10 percent of the Isle of Man government’s revenue.
The Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission was founded in 1962 to protect the interests of gamblers on the island. Their role is to license and regulate all land-based gambling operations as well as online gambling activities.
Looking for replacement
The Gambling Supervision Commission is now looking for a replacement and published a job posting on the Isle of Man Public Service Careers website. The advert states that the future Chief Executive will ensure overall operational effectiveness is compliant with regulatory objectives, statutory functions, and duties, and to do so in a manner that facilitates a competitive, attractive environment, promoting quality opportunities for the economic benefit and good reputation of the Island. Applications will close on August 19.
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