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Fanatics Announces Appointment of Lydia Jett and Jonathan Mildenhall to Board of Directors

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Digital sports platform Fanatics has announced the appointment of preeminent fintech, e-commerce, and marketing executives Lydia Jett and Jonathan Mildenhall to its board of directors.

Jett, Managing Partner and Head of Global eCommerce and US Consumer Internet Sector Investments at SoftBank Investment Advisers (SBIA), and Mildenhall, co-founder and Executive Chairman of TwentyFirstCenturyBrand and former CMO of Airbnb, bring decades of experience advising and building some of the world’s most influential tech companies and consumer brands.

Both well-admired leaders will play vital roles in uncovering and amplifying opportunities for Fanatics to continue scaling its businesses worldwide, which currently include licensed merchandise and e-commerce, trading cards and collectibles, digital collectibles and NFT’s, and online sports betting and iGaming.

“Fanatics is in the midst of incredible transformation and the deep expertise and insight that Lydia and Jonathan both bring to the board will be vital as we unlock a new digital experience for sports fans globally. They are both visionaries in their respective fields that will provide invaluable support and guidance as we continue building a revolutionary sports platform,” Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin said.

Lydia, the first female to hold the title of Managing Partner within SoftBank’s Vision Fund, has nearly twenty years of experience investing in and serving on the boards of market leading technology businesses. Since SoftBank’s initial backing of Fanatics in 2017 – when the firm led a more than $1 billion investment round – she has been a driving force behind the company’s innovation across the licensed sports industry and recent expansion beyond merchandise.

“Over my past five years with the Fanatics management team, I have seen an extraordinary focus, agility and creativity targeted towards fundamentally remaking an industry to better serve its ultimate customers: leagues, athletes and fans. As we enter the next half decade together, Fanatics is better positioned than ever to be a driving force behind improving a global sports fan’s experience across the digital and physical world,” Jett said.

Jonathan, a globally respected marketing and advertising professional, co-founded the influential brand building and marketing consultancy firm, TwentyFirstCenturyBrand, and serves as Executive Chairman. Mildenhall also previously served as CMO of Airbnb from 2014 to 2018, a time in which the company’s valuation increased from $1 billion to more than $31 billion. Mildenhall’s expertise is defining company purpose and values, brand strategy and digital transformation, assets that will be invaluable to Fanatics as the company continues to build its brand globally and unlock opportunities to engage with sports fans across current and emerging verticals.

“Over the last six months I have gotten to know Michael, his executive team, and the Fanatics business in a deep and substantial way. The deeper my understanding of the incredible opportunity ahead the more irresistible the idea of joining the board became. Fanatics will become a culturally significant global brand that will define this and further generations to come,” Mildenhall said.

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absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario

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Internet Gaming Operator by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

This significant milestone authorizes absolutebet to offer regulated iGaming services in Ontario’s legal market under the oversight of AGCO and iGaming Ontario (iGO).

The registration marks a key step in absolutebet’s mission to bring a trusted, responsible, and innovative online casino experience to Ontario players. absolutebet is committed to operating with integrity and transparency, meeting all provincial standards for player protection, responsible gambling, anti-money laundering, and game integrity.

Securing AGCO registration is more than a milestoneit’s the start of absolutebet’s journey in one of the most exciting regulated markets in the world,” said Chen Truman, Founder of absolutebet. “We are building a brand that will grow with the Ontario community and set the stage for future expansion.”

On the regulatory milestone, Krisztina Kalla, Legal & Regulatory Compliance Advisor of absolutebet, commented: “I’m incredibly proud to see all the hard work behind this license pay off. Securing AGCO registration has taken months of preparation and close collaboration with regulators and partners. I am very happy to see the result of that work, and even more excited as we move into the launch phase and open up the absolutebet community to Ontario players in a fun and responsible way.”

Ontario is recognized as one of the most competitive and fast-growing regulated iGaming markets in North America. With AGCO registration secured, absolutebet will move forward with the final stages of its iGO onboarding process in preparation for launch.

 

The post absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Evoplay strengthens Ontario presence in partnership with Caesars Entertainment

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Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has partnered with Caesars Entertainment to expand its footprint in the Canadian market, following its initial entry earlier this year. The partnership integrates 20 of the studio’s top-performing titles onto Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in Ontario, including fan-favourites such as Hot Triple Sevens, Triple Chili, and The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy.

Having announced its official entrance into Ontario in March, the collaboration with Caesars marks a significant step in Evoplay’s local strategy. Further standout releases, such as Inner Fire Bonus Buy and Hot Volcano, also launched as part of the initial package, with additional player favourites, including Fruit Nova and Ice Mania.

The collaboration underlines Evoplay’s commitment to working with leading operators to deliver high-quality content tailored to regional audiences.

Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales at Evoplay, said: “Launching with Caesars in Ontario marks a key milestone in our North American strategy.

“It reflects both the strength of our portfolio and our commitment to providing innovative, high-performing content to operators of the highest caliber.”

Ricardo Cornejo Rivas, Vice President of Online Gaming at Caesars Digital, said: “Evoplay brings a fresh and dynamic approach to online gaming, which we’re excited to offer to our players in Ontario. This portfolio of standout titles adds to our growing content library and furthering our ongoing goal of delivering top-tier entertainment experiences to our players.”

The post Evoplay strengthens Ontario presence in partnership with Caesars Entertainment appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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iGaming Ontario Appoints Joseph Hillier as its New President and CEO

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The iGaming Ontario Board of Directors has announced Joseph Hillier as the organization’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 8, 2025. Joseph’s depth in the Ontario igaming market combined with successful public and private sector careers make him the ideal President and CEO at this critical point in iGaming Ontario’s growth.

Joseph was most recently Chief Strategy Officer and Corporate Secretary at the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), where he delivered significant strategic and regulatory initiatives across the province’s alcohol, cannabis, gaming, and horse racing sectors. Prior to the AGCO, he served as Chief of Staff to Ontario Attorney General Hon. Doug Downey and led the development, launch and implementation of Canada’s first private sector-driven igaming market and the creation of iGaming Ontario. Joseph also spent more than a decade working in the financial and legal services sectors.

The Board expressed its sincere thanks to David Smith for serving as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer since Martha Otton’s retirement.

The post iGaming Ontario Appoints Joseph Hillier as its New President and CEO appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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