The U.S. gaming market is no stranger to change, and SBC Americas is helping the industry keep track of various shifts in leadership roles and positions.
Each week, we’ll be sharing the latest hires, exits, and how the positional and leadership changes are shaping North America’s dynamic gaming industry.
FanDuel reportedly needs new president of sports
According to an exclusive Sportico report on Thursday, FanDuel President of Sports Mike Raffensperger is stepping down from his role with the company.
Raffensperger joined FanDuel in 2018 and oversaw the company’s sports betting and DFS operations, as well as its cable network, FanDuel TV. Before assuming the role of president of sports, he served as first chief marketing officer and latterly chief commercial officer.
Raffensperger served as president of sports for two years before his exit this week. Sportico suggests that FanDuel will replace the former executive with an in-house hire.
Better Collective to have new board chair
Jens Bager, a member of Better Collective’s board since 2017, is relinquishing his role as chair. Better Collective announced that Bager will not seek re-election at the company’s Annual General Meeting on March 24, ending his term as chair and member of the board.
Bager played an integral role as a board member at Better Collective, being “instrumental” in the company’s growth and strategic direction, according to Co-CEO Jesper Søgaard.
Bager was present for Better Collective’s initial public offering, its expansion to markets around the world, a reorganization and subsequent leadership changes.
“It has been a privilege to serve as chair of Better Collective since 2017 and to witness the company’s remarkable transformation,” said Bager. “Together with the founders, the board and the organization, we have built a scalable, international business grounded in strong values and disciplined execution.”
CFTC bolsters enforcement roster
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has been at the forefront of the gaming industry regarding prediction markets and the delivery of sports event contracts. The CFTC and its new Chair, Michael Selig, have been advocating for the agency’s federal authority over prediction markets, and now it is adding new personnel to the pot.
This week, the CFTC enlisted former federal prosecutor David I. Miller as the agency’s new director of enforcement. Miller joins the CFTC after most recently working in private practice as a litigation partner with a focus on commodities and securities enforcement. Miller is replacing former Acting Director of Enforcement Paul Hayeck, who will transition to the role as chief of the enforcement division’s complex fraud task force.
The CFTC has also tapped Alan Brubaker as its new director of the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs. Brubaker assumes the position after previously serving as a senior advisor to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
“I’m delighted to welcome Alan to the CFTC as the director of OLIA,” said Selig. “Alan brings a wealth of experience to the commission from his prior government service, including his congressional experience handling economic, agricultural and financial policy matters.
The CFTC’s international affairs team also got a boost with the hiring of Mel Gunewardena as director of the Office of International Affairs and senior markets advisor to the chairman. Gunewardena will leverage his expertise in financial markets and international regulatory affairs to provide guidance on matters impacting the CFTC’s day-to-day operations.
Bally’s Intralot changes lottery chief
Bally’s Intralot President of Lotteries Nikos Nikolakopoulos is stepping down from his role on March 16 but will continue to work with the company. Nikolakopoulos will no longer lead the company’s lottery operations but will continue to serve as a board member.
“I would like to thank Nikos for his dedication and invaluable contribution to the company’s growth and the wider lottery community ecosystem over the past 20 years, and I count on his continuing support,” said Bally’s Intralot CEO Robeson Reeves. “The new leadership team is committed to building on his legacy and advancing our strategic priorities to ensure a strong outlook.”
Chrysostomos Sfatos will replace Nikolakopoulos as president of lotteries, while continuing to serve as chief operating officer and an executive board member.
Evoplay hires to expand US reach
Game development studio Evoplay hired IGT and Light & Wonder veteran Ashley McCulloch as vice president of North America. McCulloch most recently served as the director of account management for North America at Inspired Gaming Group, where she helped the company enter new markets while helping oversee growth strategies.
“North America represents one of the most exciting growth opportunities for Evoplay, and Ashley McCulloch’s appointment is a major step forward in realizing our ambitions in the region,” said Evoplay CEO Ivan Kravchuk.
“Her extensive experience across land-based and online gaming, combined with her track record in commercial strategy, makes her the ideal person to lead our efforts as we scale.”
Her hiring comes after Evoplay made its first entry in the U.S. lottery market in 2025. Evoplay also recently collaborated with BetMGM to deliver content in Ontario.
Bragg makes changes amid prediction market frenzy
The proliferation of prediction markets and sports event contracts in North America led to the hiring of Morten Tonnesen as Bragg Gaming Group’s new chief operating officer.
Tonnesen joins Bragg after serving as a chief growth officer for software company Xtremepush. He also has experience in gaming as a former executive at PokerStars and will help facilitate Bragg’s efforts to enter the prediction market and AI spaces.
In addition to hiring Tonnesen, Bragg promoted Garrick Morris to executive vice president of global content for the U.S. and Canada. Morris joined Bragg in 2024, working as the company’s senior vice president of commercial for the U.S. and Canada. Before working at Bragg, Morris was the chief operating officer for four years at Digital Gaming Corporation.
“Both leaders are highly qualified, bringing extensive iGaming expertise that will be vital as we embark on our next chapter: becoming a global B2B leader in content, engagement, and infrastructure and what we believe will be iGaming’s ‘AI-First’ company,” said Bragg Chief Executive Officer Matevž Mazij.
