People news 15 October 2015
The latest people news from the egaming industry in the last seven days (9 October to 15 October 2015)
Amaya told to sack four senior execs to secure New Jersey licence
State regulator says licence was granted after Amaya agreed to part company with individuals linked to PokerStars’ UIGEA violation
Amaya Gaming must sack four senior executives linked to PokerStars’ breach of America’s Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), as part of a deal which recently saw the operator gain its long-awaited New Jersey licence.
New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement revealed Amaya had agreed to part ways with the unidentified individuals in a published 89-page report into the operator’s assets following its acquisition of PokerStars and Full Tilt parent company Rational Group.
According to the report, the individuals must leave the company on or before 30 January 2016, with the regulator having deemed them to have “failed to establish the requisite good character, honesty and integrity” required by the state’s online gambling legislation.
“The Division determined that four senior executives who remain with an Amaya subsidiary after the acquisition are not able to establish their good character, honesty and integrity as required by the Act because they were involved in the management or control of companies that violated UIGEA,” the report said.
Ex-Betfair ops director Ian Chuter joins Playtech
Betfair’s former operations director Ian Chuter has joined Playtech in an advisory role focusing on the supplier’s gaming and sports betting divisions.
Chuter, who left Betfair earlier this year after four years’ service, will also work on M&A projects for Playtech when he begins his role next month.
Playtech COO Shimon Akad described Chuter as “one of the best operators in the business”.
“He has a proven track record of managing large-scale transformational projects and delivering great success everywhere he has worked. We’re delighted he has chosen to join Playtech and I’m confident he will be an invaluable member of the senior management team.”
Seven days in people news:
Ladbrokes names ex-Hills man Fahy as CMO
Ladbrokes has named former William Hill CMO Kristof Fahy as its new marketing chief with a view to him taking the role within a combined Ladbrokes-Coral business.
Fahy will join in early 2016 from the Telegraph Media Group where he is currently CMO, responsible for marketing and digital acquisition since April this year.
Prior to that he spent more than five years at William Hill, where he worked with current Ladbrokes CEO Jim Mullen.
Ladbrokes said Fahy will report directly into Mullen and also sit on the executive management team.
Ladbrokes football chief quits for BoyleSports trading role
Ladbrokes head of football David Burgin has quit the firm in order to take up a senior trading position at Irish bookmaker Boylesports, eGaming Review has learned.
Long-serving Burgin, who joined Ladbrokes approximately 25 years ago, left the firm earlier this month and is expected to relocate to BoyleSports’ Dundalk headquarters.
His departure comes just weeks after a small number of Ladbrokes’ traders left the firm having decided to take a voluntary redundancy package, including head of greyhounds Richard Harkness.
Betsson appoints new head of mobile
Betsson has named its former mobile commercial manager Richard Smith as its new head of mobile.
A spokesperson for the firm confirmed that Smith, who had previously worked at bet365, had replaced Altay Ural, who has since moved to a new role with oversight for the operator’s platforms.
Betsson has been growing rapidly on the mobile channel of late, reporting a 121% year-on-year increase in mobile revenues to £21.3m for Q2.