With comings and goings commonplace across the industry, Codere Online, CT Interactive and the Nederlandse Online Gambling Associatie are among those to have seen changes to their teams recently.
Codere Online
Codere Online has appointed three new members to its board of directors – Gabriel Saenz de Buruaga, Taavi Davies and Claude Noesen.
The appointments were part of the company’s annual general meeting and all three new members have been selected for an initial term of one year on the board, replacing Patrick Ramsey, Michal Elimelech and Laurent Teitgen.
Gonzaga Higuero, CEO of Codere Group, was also re-appointed as a director and will serve as Chair of the board.
Higuero stated: “We welcome these new additions to the Board and look forward to working with them to build upon the significant progress achieved by the company in recent years.”
Changes have also been made to Codere Online’s board committees. In the audit committee, Noesen has been appointed as a member, while Borja Fernández and Daniel Valdez will continue to serve as Chair and member, respectively.
Meanwhile, in the compliance committee, Davies and Mark Dunn have been appointed as members, while Rafael Catalá and Yaiza Rodríguez will continue to serve as members.
Higuero added: “I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to Pat for his valuable contribution and dedication as Chairman since Codere Online went public in 2021, and I am excited that he will be joining me on the board of our parent company, Codere New Topco, following its recently announced recapitalisation and as it looks ahead to a promising future.”
CT Interactive
CT Interactive has appointed Monika Zlateva as its Chief Commercial Officer.
The igaming supplier noted that Zlateva brings expertise in new business development, customer acquisition and retention to the position and has showcased leadership in business strategy, sales initiatives and marketing campaigns.
Zlateva also brings a wealth of igaming experience to CT Interactive, as she has previously worked for the likes of 7777 gaming, BetConstruct, Amusnet Gaming and SBTech, holding leadership roles such as Business Development Partner, Business Development Director and Regional Director of Business Development.
Commenting on her new role on LinkedIn, Zlateva said: “Very excited and honoured to join the CT Interactive team! It’s not a secret that casino content is the closest to my heart so I am looking forward to growing the business together with such great professionals! Stay tuned for what’s coming next.”
Louisiana Gaming Control Board
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has named Christopher Hebert as the Chair of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. He is also the first African-American to serve as Chair.
Having previously served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Louisiana for over 19 years and as the Director of the Gaming Division for the previous eight years, Hebert will now lead the regulation of all gaming activities under the jurisdiction of the Pelican State.
Landry said: “I am proud to announce the appointment of Christopher Hebert as the Chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. He has the experience and background needed to properly regulate such a large industry. I look forward to the great work he will do for our state and our economy.”
Hebert will be replacing Ronnie Johns as Chair, who is relinquishing his role at the end of June after being appointed in 2021.
Commenting on his new role, Hebert noted: “Proper regulation of the gaming industry is crucial at a time in which gaming revenue continues to be a substantial part of our state’s economy.
“I am both humbled and honoured that Governor Landry has tapped me as the first African-American Chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board and I vow to continue the hard work of previous chairmen in ensuring that gaming is free from criminal and corrupt elements.
“We will continue to regulate in a fair manner which ensures that our gaming licensees are able to operate in an environment that generates healthy revenue for the state through economic development.”
Nederlandse Online Gambling Associatie
The Nederlandse Online Gambling Associatie has announced that Peter-Paul de Goeij is stepping down as Director of the association as he plans to emigrate abroad.
Eric Konings has been named by NOGA as Interim Director. He will be supported by Frans van Steenis, former CEO of Staatsloterij, the state lottery.
“We are very grateful to Peter-Paul for his commitment over the past five years, in which he has shaped the transformation from SpeelVerantwoord to NOGA in an excellent way,” stated Remko de Boer, Chair of the board of directors of NOGA.
“As a result, NOGA has been able to represent the interests of its members well, in a tumultuous period for the industry. We are confident that this line will be continued under Eric as interim director. However, we do expect that the coming period will not be less turbulent. That is why we, as a board, have decided to initiate the strategic reorientation.”
Commenting on his departure, de Goeij said: “The past few years have been hectic, with the opening of the Dutch online gambling market as the absolute highlight. I am stepping down now, but I am convinced that the sector will continue to make efforts to ensure that the game is safe and responsible.
“That is and remains the best way to achieve optimum consumer protection. I would like to thank the board of NOGA for the trust they have placed in me over the past five years and I am happy to hand over the baton to Eric.”
Konings noted: “The industry is facing some major challenges in the current political and social climate, and I look forward to helping NOGA members with this.
“In addition, NOGA is explicitly orienting itself on how the interests of the industry can be organised in a future-proof way. I am happy that Frans van Steenis is fulfilling the role of scout to shape this process with me.”
Van Steenis added: “A lot is happening in the gaming sector at the moment. Licensed providers, policymakers and society benefit from more clarity and better cooperation. I want to explore how bridges can be built between all those involved in the gambling file.”
New York State Gaming Facility Location Board
The New York State Gaming Commission has unanimously approved the appointment of Professor Vicki Been as Chair of the New York Gaming Facility Location Board, which is in charge of overseeing the commercial casino sitting process in the New York Metro region.
“Professor Been’s expertise is tailor-made to guide this process and I am proud to name her Chair of the Gaming Facility Location Board,” stated Commission Chair Brian O’Dwyer.
“This outstanding team is performing a great public service for which we are all grateful. We look forward to a robust competition for up to three licences.”
A member of the board since 2022, Been is the Judge Edward Weinfeld Professor of Law at New York University School of Law, an Affiliated Professor of Public Policy of the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and a Faculty Director of NYU’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy.
With a bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University and being a graduate of the NYU School of Law, where she was a Root-Tilden Scholar, she returned to NYU following public service as Commissioner of Housing Preservation and Development for the City of New York and Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development.
On the faculty at NYU since 1990, Been has focused her scholarship on the intersection of land use, urban policy and housing. She has also clerked for Judge Edward Weinfeld of the Southern District of New York and Justice Harry Blackmun of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Commenting on her new role, Been said: “I am honoured to take on this important role and look forward to working with my talented colleagues on the Gaming Facility Location Board to evaluate casino proposals that bring real tangible benefits to their host community and the entire state.
“My colleagues and I are committed to overseeing a fair, transparent and transformative casino siting process.”
Gemeinsamen Glücksspielbehörde der Länder
Gemeinsamen Glücksspielbehörde der Länder has announced that Udo Götze, State Secretary in the Thuringian Ministry of the Interior and Local Government, will hand over the position of Chair of the board of directors to Reiner Moser, Head of the Ministry of the Interior, Digitalisation and Municipalities of Baden-Württemberg.
The handover will take place on July 1, 2024, bringing an end to Götze’s one-year term as Chair.
Götze noted: “Together with the federal states, the GGL has created a very good basis for the successful regulation of this rapidly developing digital market. Everyone involved can be proud of that.”
Moser added: “The regulation of gambling on the internet is a challenging task that focuses on the prevention of gambling addiction and the protection of players and minors. There were and will continue to be immense challenges to overcome.
“This includes, among other things, the implementation of court decisions on the use of IP blocking as an enforcement instrument, but also developments in the area of supervision of legal providers. I am confident that GGL will successfully address these challenges. It can continue to be sure of the support of the states and the board of directors.”
