Members of the industry have been paying tribute to Paul Darling OBE, chairman of the Horseracing Betting Levy Board (HBLB), who died suddenly aged 64 last week.
Darling has served as non-executive chairman of HBLB since April 2020. Prior to this, he served on the Board of Directors of British Racing Funding between 2008 and 2014.
In addition to his work at HBLB, Darling sits on the Tote board and serves as Chairman of the Association of British Betting (ABB). In addition, he is Chairman of the Sports Grounds Safety Authority and was awarded an OBE in 2015 for services to sports ground safety and horse racing.
Outside of the industry, Darling also practices law. Since 2017, he has been acting as a Queen’s Counsel, Advocate, Arbitrator and Adjudicator, specialising in the areas of construction, energy and procurement. For almost 20 years, he also sat as a Judge of the Honourable College of the Middle Temple, whose members practise as barristers in the English legal system.
“His passing will leave a void in the lives of everyone at Levy Council,” HBLB said. “He will be deeply missed but will also be remembered for his love of racing and all he did for the Levy Commission and the sport over the years.”
"Our thoughts are with his family, especially his wife Camilla."
The Betting and Gaming Commission (BGC) also expressed sadness at Darling's passing, with senior management paying their respects.
BGC chairman Michael Dugher described Darling as a "strong and progressive force" in British racing. He added: "He was a very intelligent man, but always very relatable and very funny. I will remember him fondly as a warm and wise old man."
BGC CEO Grainne Hurst added: "Paul is a legal and practical expert on gambling regulation and a passionate pillar of our industry. He is reliable, knowledgeable, principled and has a great sense of humour. All who work with him He will be greatly missed by everyone who lived there.”
After Darling's death, several members of the BGC also expressed their affectionate wishes for him. Simon Clare, group director of consumer PR at Entain, said his death was "extremely sad news".
"Paul was a legendary figure, full of energy, fun and intelligence, and made a huge contribution to British racing," Clare said. "He will be greatly missed."
Greg Knight, managing director of JenningsBet, added that Darling had led ABB through “turbulent and challenging times”, often bucking the trend but always maintaining a calm and calm demeanor. "
"During his tenure he was always passionate about fighting for the interests of small operators and genuinely cared about those on the front line working in the shops. He was a key figure in the racing and betting industry and he will be greatly missed."
Former ABB CEO Malcolm George also said: "During his tenure as Chairman of ABB, Paul generously gave of his time and talent to support the industry and sport he loved. Most importantly, I will remember his deep and genuine kindness towards me, the ABB team and our members.”
PASA would like to express its condolences to the Darling family and everyone who worked with or knew Paul Darling.
