GVC Holdings, MGM Resorts International’s 50% partner in Roar Digital, named a former Caesars Entertainment executive to the United Kingdom-based company’s board Thursday as the company focuses continued attention on U.S. expansion.
The company announced that David Satz has joined as an independent non-executive director and that longtime GVC executive Robert Hoskin has been promoted to both director and the company’s chief governance officer. He will begin those positions on Jan. 1.
The changes follow July’s appointment of Shay Segev as CEO. Segev had been GVC’s chief operating offer.
Satz spent 17 years with Caesars Entertainment, including his most recent role as senior vice president of government relations and development. He played a key role in successfully lobbying for online gaming and sports betting to be licensed in the U.S and was responsible for overseeing Caesars’ government activities in the U.S. Satz left Caesars in 2019.
He becomes the second former U.S. gaming executive to join GVC’s board. Former Isle of Capri CEO Virginia McDowell joined the company’s board earlier this year.
In a statement, Satz said GVC’s products will help the company’s expansion into new U.S. sports betting markets.
“The company is a leading global operator with robust corporate governance and a commitment to responsible gaming that will serve it well in the U.S. market for years to come,” Satz said.
In Europe, GVC operates the Ladbrokes, bwin, Coral and partypoker brands.
Roar Digital, which runs the BetMGM sports wagering platform, was created in 2018 after sports betting was legalized in the U.S. following the Supreme Court’s decision to end the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act.
BetMGM is currently available in eight states: Colorado; Indiana; Michigan; Mississippi; Nevada; New Jersey; and West Virginia. Sports betting is currently available in 18 states and Washington, D.C., with Tennessee expected to launch online sports betting by next week. Three more states are expected to launch next year, and voters in three other states will consider sports betting referendums on Nov. 3
“David has unrivaled regulatory and legislative expertise in the all-important U.S. gaming market,” said GVC Chairman Barry Gibson. “His knowledge and insight will be hugely additive in helping us to achieve our ambition of being the leading operator in the US through BetMGM.”
Earlier this summer, MGM and GVC committed to a second round of investment in Roar Digital. The investment now totals $450 million. Roar Digital now has more than $370 million of investable capital in reserve in an effort to compete in the expanding U.S. sports betting and iGaming markets.
Howard Stutz is the executive editor of CDC Gaming Reports. He can be reached at hstutz@cdcgaming.com. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter.
