Allwyn’s responsible gambling lead, Nicole Garrett, has been confirmed as the new CEO of two of the three associations representing the UK’s bingo sector, as well as the main B2B firm targeting the sector.
Garrett will become CEO of the Bingo Association and the National Bingo Game Association (NBGA) as well as bingo products and services supplier Meeron in June 2026, though she will join all three at some point in the spring.
She takes the leadership reins over from Miles Baron, who will step down in June. Baron oversaw the Bingo Association throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the two-and-a-half year Gambling Act review during his 13 year leadership tenure after joining the role from Mecca Bingo in 2012.
A joint statement issued by the BA, NGBA and Meeron highlighted Garrett’s ‘exceptional breadth of experience from across the wider gaming sector, with a strong track record in policy development, regulatory engagement, and responsible gaming.
“We are confident she will provide outstanding leadership as the bingo industry navigates an evolving regulatory and commercial landscape.”
Garrett moves to bingo amid budget break
Garret has been working in the gaming industry since 2020, joining after a stint working in politics and government in the House of Commons and in communications and public relations for Weber Shandwick.
Her career in gaming has included tenure in regulatory affairs, public and policy affairs, and corporate affairs for the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), the betting trade and standards body, and bet365 – between 2020-2022 and 2022-2024 respectively.
Garrett joined Allwyn as Global Head of Responsible Gaming in April 2024, just a couple of months after the company began its 10 year stewardship of the UK National Lottery as holder of the fourth licence.
Speaking to SBC’s iGaming Daily podcast last year, Garett commented on Allwyn’s social responsibility commitments, which are being rolled out internationally as the firm expands with the acquisition of PrizePicks in the US and the merger with Greek betting firm OPAP.
“I think as lotteries, we’re really well placed to lead the way in that because we have such a broad player base,” she said. “So we can reach a very wide segment of society, and the behaviors they learn in our campaigns they can carry into wider gaming products they play with elsewhere.”
Garrett will now depart Allwyn to focus on her new role with the Bingo Association, which like the rest of the UK gaming industry finds itself navigating choppy political, regulatory and financial waters in 2026.
Bingo has escaped the worst case scenario of the budget announced by Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, last November, however. The budget has put new taxes on online gaming and the sector in general – Remote Gaming Duty (RGD) to go up from 21% to 40% 2026 and General Betting Duty (GBD) from 15% to 21% in April 2027.
However, the budget gave bingo firms a big break by abolishing bingo duty outright. This was praised by key stakeholders in the space, like Rank Group, and in a LinkedIn post Garrett paid tribute to her predecessor at the BA, Baron, for ‘an incredible job championing the industry and securing the abolition of Bingo Duty in the Budget’.
“I am thrilled to be joining the Bingo Association, the National Bingo Game Association and Meeron at such an important time for the bingo industry,” Garrett remarked.
“Bingo plays a unique and valued role within local communities, and I am very much looking forward to working closely with members and stakeholders to support the sector and help shape its future.”