The Gambling Commission was set up under the Gambling Act 2005 to regulate commercial gambling in Great Britain and is an independent non-departmental public body (NDPB) sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Graf will also be chairman designate of the future body created by merging the Gambling Commission and the National Lottery Commission, which will be involved in the funding of Britain's elite athletes after the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.

Tourism and heritage minister John Penrose said: "Philip Graf has a wealth of knowledge as a board member and his vast experience will serve him well as he takes up his post at the Gambling Commission.

"This will be even more important as the merger takes place to provide strong leadership and support to all those involved and I have no doubt he will rise to the challenge."

Graf is currently deputy chairman of Ofcom, an appointment which comes to an end on December 31.

At Ofcom Graf receives £77,500 ($127,938)-per-year for up to three days per week while as chairman of the Gambling Commission; he will receive £550 ($908) per day for two to three days per week on average.

A Cambridge law graduate, Graf joined the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo in 1983 – which became Trinity International Holdings in 1985 – and was appointed chief executive of the organisation in 1993.

He became chief executive of Trinity Mirror Group when the company merged with the Mirror Group in 1999 and held the position until February 2003.

In 2004, Graf was asked by the DCMS to carry out a review of the BBC's online activities.

He was appointed to Ofcom as its deputy chairman through open competition in 2006.

Graf is also a former chairman of the Press Standards Board of Finance - the body which funds the Press Complaints Commission - and of the Broadband Stakeholder Group - the advisory group to the Government on the promotion of broadband services.

He is currently an associate of Praesta Partners LLP, and a deputy chairman of Crisis, the homeless charity.

The appointment has been made in accordance with the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) Code of Practice.

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.

However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees' political activity - if any declared - to be made public.

Graf though, has declared no political activity.

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