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The Gambling Commission officially opened its new offices in Birmingham on Thursday 13th July. It is one of the first public bodies to move out of London as part of the government’s Lyons Review on the relocation of public bodies. The Commission has taken a 2,500 m² space in Victoria Square House, which will house around 200 staff by the time the organisation is fully up and running.

Gambling Commission Chairman Peter Dean said: “Birmingham was the clear frontrunner in our search for new headquarters. Our offices, in the very heart of the City, have been set up on time and within budget, and will help us perform our duties effectively in a modern environment.

“We’ve had a very warm welcome, and have been impressed by the hard work on the part of all concerned which has made the transition to Birmingham such a smooth one. In particular, we have been absolutely delighted with the calibre of staff who have joined us, and over the next few months we will be advertising a range of additional vacancies.”

The opening of the Commission’s offices was marked by speeches by The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Mike Sharpe and Richard Caborn, Minister for Sport and Gambling, at a reception attended by MPs, members of the Birmingham business and government communities, representatives of the gambling industry, faith groups, academics and charities concerned with gambling problems.

At the reception, Richard Caborn said: “This is a good day for the Gambling Commission and a good day for Birmingham. This impressive new location provides an ideal base from which to enforce the tough new rules the Gambling Act 2005 brings in. The purpose-built intelligence room and state of the art IT equipment they have installed will help the Commission to deliver its three key objectives: to keep crime out of gambling, to ensure that it is fair and open, and to protect children and vulnerable people."

Sir Michael Lyons, Acting Chairman, Audit Commission and author of the Lyons Review, said: “I am very pleased to see this come to fruition: the Commission and its staff deserve a warm welcome to the city. Having a second influential regulator in the City is good news for Birmingham and provides real evidence of the Government meeting its target to move business out of London.”

Councillor Mike Whitby, Leader of Birmingham City Council said: "I am delighted to welcome the Gambling Commission to Birmingham and very pleased that they have chosen to base their new Headquarters here. This is a thriving City and I know they will be a great asset to Birmingham's growing professional services sector. I am confident that they will feel at home in the city and hope that this move will encourage other businesses to move here."

Mike Loftus, Manager of Locate in Birmingham, who worked closely with the Commission in securing its new offices, said: "Locate in Birmingham, the City Council's investment team, has been at the forefront of promoting the city as a prime location for service sector activity. The move by the Gambling Commission to the City is a clear endorsement of the business case for Birmingham and we fully anticipate other similar operations will follow them into Birmingham. It has been a privilege to work with the Gambling Commission to set up their new operation within the City."