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Europe
The Cyprus Gaming and Casino Supervision Commission has appointed Harris Tsangarides as its new CEO. The regulator, which oversees the nation’s casino sector, was run by Nick Tofiluk until December 2021.
The CEO of the UK and Ireland business for Flutter Entertainment, Conor Grant, has resigned and will leave his role before the end of the year, the company has said. Grant, who is taking a career break, will be replaced by Ian Brown, former CEO of the Trips division of travel agent Booking.com. Grant joined Sky Bet 12 years ago and was at the helm when the company was sold to The Stars Group, which was subsequently merged with Flutter.
Events company Clarion has appointed Andy Ventris as event director for ICE London, the massive yearly gambling trade show and its associated brand activities. Ventris is the former director of the London Book Fair.
Lotto Hessen, the lottery monopoly for the German state of Hesse, has appointed a new managing director. Retiring MD Heinz-Georg Sundermann was given the Hessian Order of Merit at a ceremony in Biebrich Castle, having ended 20 years of service at the lottery operator. He is being succeeded by Martin Blach.
North America
Matt Wilson, Light & Wonder’s executive vice president and group chief executive of gaming, has been appointed interim CEO. Wilson replaces Barry Cottle who stepped down as president and CEO. Cottle also stepped down as a member of the company’s board of directors.
Light & Wonder has also named Roxane Lukas as chief people capability officer (CPCO). In her new role as CPCO, Lukas will lead global people strategy and oversee Light & Wonder’s people functions to ensure business outcomes for the company, including an inclusive work environment for the company’s 5,000 employees.
The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) has appointed Pat Davis as its president and chief executive. Davis was more recently BCLC’s chief information officer and vice president, business technology. Lynda Cavanaugh had been serving as president and CEO since January 2021 and took on the role from Greg Moore who was appointed interim president and CEO when president and CEO Jim Lightbody went on medical leave. Lightbody stepped down in December 2021.
The BCLC also named Dan Beebe as chief operating officer and Sandra Austin as chief people officer. Both had been serving in the roles on an interim basis for several months.
Andrew Sneyd has been promoted to executive vice president of marketing at FanDuel Group, after serving as senior vice president of brand, Sneyd will now oversee the company’s marketing, media, customer engagement and marketing operations. Prior to joining FanDuel, Sneyd served as vice president, brand marketing and strategy at Priceline.
Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) has promoted Angela Wong to vice president of global lottery solutions. Wong has been with GLI since 2021, previously serving as director of lottery solutions. In her new role, Wong will join GLI’s global leadership team and provide strategic direction for the company’s lottery services.
Jackpocket, a third-party app in the U.S. to allow customers to order state lottery tickets, has named Caitlin Stojanovich as chief of staff. Stojanovich will help define and execute strategic initiatives as the company looks for new expansion opportunities. She joins Jackpocket after 11 years at ADS Inc., a defense and government supply company in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians has sworn in several new tribal council members, including Gary Morseau Sr. as vice chair, Alex Wesaw as treasurer, and Rhonda Keene and Mark Parrish to member at large positions. The Pokagon Tribal Council also serves on the Pokagon Gaming Authority, which oversees the tribe’s four casinos in Michigan and Indiana.
Aruze Gaming America has appointed Kurt Hansen as its new vice president of iGaming. Hansen will be responsible for marketing and promoting the company worldwide, as well as overseeing all iGaming operations for the Las Vegas-based gaming company. Hansen most recently served as GameCo’s head of digital and has worked for Aristocrat Technologies and GAN.
Hard Rock International has selected Joe Lupo to run the Mirage Hotel & Casino once the acquisition of the property from MGM Resorts International is completed. Lupo will become president of the Mirage, after being president of Hard Rock’s casino in Atlantic City. Lupo will be succeeded as president at Hard Rock Atlantic City by the casino’s general manager Anthony Faranca.
The Casino Association of New Jersey has chosen Mark Giannantonio to take over as the organization’s new president. He replaces Joe Lupo, who will now manage the Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Giannantonio was previously CEO and president of the Tropicana before taking over as president of Resorts Casino Hotel.
Asia-Pacific
Resorts World Sentosa operator Genting Singapore has appointed former Las Vegas Sands casino operations heavyweight Andrew MacDonald to run gaming operations and marketing, Inside Asian Gaming reported on August 27. MacDonald, who starts work at the property today (September 1), had been a crucial executive with Las Vegas Sands for a decade in the Sheldon Adelson era, expanding from his base in Singapore overseeing Marina Bay Sands to supervise global gaming. The Australian industry veteran is also a former investment banker, once heading Macquarie Capital.
The New South Wales (NSW) state government has named the members of the newly created, full-time NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC), according to an August 30 statement. Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGA) chair Philip Crawford will be chief commissioner. Joining him from the ILGA as commissioners will be ILGA deputy chair and accountant Murray Smith, lawyer and consultant Janine Rolfe, lawyer, regulator and policy developer Craig Sahlin and accountant and government advisor Stephen Parbery, who “all have experience in casino regulation and other regulated industries”, the statement said.
The chief executive of Crown Resorts’ Sydney property has resigned after only six months in the post. Simon McGrath, who also served as group head of hospitality, steps down this month. US-based Blackstone Group, which took over Crown several months ago, has yet to name a replacement, but said the candidate will have considerable gaming experience. McGrath’s background had been in hospitality, not gaming.
The Asian Poker Tour (APT) has announced major management changes with its change in ownership, revealing today (September 1) that former PokerStars Live global representative Neil Johnson will serve as president. The APT also announced on August 31 that former PokerStars Live executive Fred Leung will serve as CEO, replacing long-time boss Jeff Mann.
Casino operator Wynn Macau appointed COO Frederic Luvisutto as executive director, effective August 11. Luvisutto has been COO since July.
Macau Legend Development co-chairman and non-executive director David Chow retired from both positions at the company’s AGM on August 16. The move ends Chow’s formal influence over the company that he headed for decades prior to an ill-fated takeover by detained junket mogul Levo Chan. Chow’s wife Melinda Chan remains CEO and executive director of Macau Legend following Chan’s demise. The company controls Macau Fisherman’s Wharf and a small number of satellite casinos.
Australia’s Gaming Technologies Association (GTA) announced on August 11 that Aristocrat government and industry relations general manager Anthony Ball took over as GTA chairman from Adrian Halpenny. It also announced the appointment of Aruze Gaming Australia managing director Cameron Louis as vice chairman.
The Macau government named the members of its new policy advisory board for the gambling industry on August 17. The Specialised Commission of the Games of Fortune or Chance Sector (CESJFA), apparently replacing the long-established Macau Gaming Commission, will be chaired by economy and finance secretary Lei Wai Nong. Other members include heads or representatives of the gambling regulator, the Chief Executive’s office, and various ministries.
LET Group Holdings, the Hong Kong-listed gaming and hospitality company formerly known as Suncity Group Holdings, announced on August 31 that executive director Andrew Lo Kai Bong was appointed chairman of the board. Lo was promoted on the same day from deputy chairman to chairman of Summit Ascent, a LET Group subsidiary and operator of the Tigre de Cristal casino resort near Vladivostok. Lo was a long-time lieutenant to Suncity boss and junket heavyweight Alvin Chau, whose trial in Macau for gambling offences starts tomorrow (September 2).
Latin America
Juan Sebastián Araya has been appointed the new general manager of the Chilean Association of Gaming Casinos (ACCJ). He previously held the post of director of commercial policy and sustainable development at Chile’s Ministry of Finance and is a consulting lawyer at Vásquez Urra.
Meanwhile, Cecilia Valdés is now the executive president of the Chilean Association of Gaming Casinos. Her last position was as corporate affairs manager at the Production Development Corporation (CORFO), a Chilean governmental organisation to promote economic growth.
