The commercial U.S. gaming industry got a shakeup this week as FanDuel conducted a round of layoffs that reportedly impacted “hundreds” of employees.
That was the headline of another busy week. Each Thursday, SBC Americas highlights the latest organizational and personnel changes in North American gaming. Here’s the latest hires, exits and promotions from this week.
FanDuel Casino exec steps down
We started with FanDuel, so let’s continue with them. The gaming giant is now on the search for a new Managing Director of Casino after Asaf Noifeld announced plans to relinquish his role.
Noifeld has been with the Flutter-owned gaming giant since May 2022 but is stepping down from his role.
“After more than 12 years with Flutter Entertainment, I’ve decided it’s the right moment for the next adventure,” said Noifeld in a LinkedIn post. “I joined the company in 2014 and honestly had no idea at the time how much this journey would shape me – professionally and personally.”
Noifeld was hired by FanDuel after spending nearly a decade at PokerStars, another Flutter-owned brand, rising to managing director of casino there. He also had a stint at Evoke plc. He leaves FanDuel Casino in good hands: Flutter reported $564 million in online casino revenue in Q1, a 19% uptick from Q1 2025
Rush Street bolsters government affairs team
Elsewhere, Rush Street Interactive (RSI) has a new Director of Government Affairs with Harper Stephens joining the company this week. Stephens joins RSI after spending nearly four years at Aristocrat Gaming in various roles, including senior manager of government relations.
“My time at Aristocrat gave me the chance to work alongside truly talented people, tackle interesting policy issues across the country, and build some invaluable friendships that I’ll carry with me long after this role,” said Stephens in a LinkedIn post. “I’m grateful for those experiences and for everyone who made my time there so rewarding.”
Before entering the gaming sector, Stephens worked in the U.S. House of Representatives as a senior policy advisor and legislative assistant.
UAE gaming regulator names ex-casino exec as new CEO
The General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) has announced the appointment of Ciarán Carruthers as chief executive officer. Carruthers is the former CEO of Crown Resorts, bringing a wealth of gaming experience to the GCGRA.
“I am honored to join GCGRA and contribute to the continued development of the UAE’s regulatory framework for commercial gaming,” said Carruthers in a statement.
“The UAE is establishing itself as a global benchmark for modern and responsible gaming regulation, and I look forward to working closely with the team, licensees, and government partners to deliver on that ambition.”
Carruthers’s gaming experience also includes a stop at Wynn Macau, where he served as the company’s COO. He replaces Kevin Mullally, who relinquished the role last year.
BetConstruct AI taps Yasir for key executive role
On Wednesday, BetConstruct AI welcomed Lena Yasir to its executive team.
The gaming industry veteran joins BetConstruct after a three-year stint at iGaming software developer ARRISE. Before ARRISE, Yasir was a vice president at Pragmatic Play.
“BetConstruct AI is a highly respected and successful company in the global iGaming industry, and I am proud to be joining the business at such an exciting time,” said Yasir.
Her gaming experience also includes a two-year term as head of commercial at Play’n GO and a two-year stint at Evolution Gaming as a key account manager.
