The Board of Directors of Playtech, the leading platform, content and services provider in the online gambling industry, has announced that John Gleasure has been appointed to the Board with a view to his succeeding Brian Mattingley as Non-executive Chairman.

John joins the Board as an independent Non-executive Director and Chairman Elect, and is expected to assume the role of Chairman after Playtech’s annual general meeting in May 2025, at which time Brian will step down as Chairman and from the Board.

John brings 30 years of experience across the sports, media and technology sectors, in addition to relevant Board experience from a range of international companies. He currently serves as a Non-executive Director at DAZN Group, the leading global sports subscription service, and is a Non-executive Director (and previously Executive Chairman) at The Sporting News, a global digital publisher. John was a founder of Perform, a digital sports media business, growing it into a leading provider of live data and content to online betting groups before the business listed in 2011. John previously held leadership roles at Sky Sports, Hutchison 3G and Sony Pictures.

Brian Mattingley, commenting on the changes, said: “We are very pleased to welcome John to our Board as a new Non-executive Director and Chairman Elect. John’s significant experience and knowledge will be a tremendous asset for Playtech as it continues its transformation into a predominantly pure-play B2B business. I look forward to giving him every support during this period of transition.”

John Gleasure, commenting on his appointment, said: “I am delighted to be joining Playtech at such a pivotal moment in its history. Playtech is a unique and highly innovative business, underpinned by market-leading technology and relationships with the world’s leading gambling operators. I’m excited about the opportunities ahead, and I look forward to working with everyone at Playtech to drive forward its strategy and create further value for our shareholders.”