DraftKings
DraftKings to Launch Online Sportsbook in Kentucky on September 28
DraftKings Inc. announced plans to launch its top-rated mobile sportsbook in Kentucky on September 28, 2023. Last month, DraftKings reached an agreement with ECL Corbin, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of ECL Entertainment, LLC, dba The Mint Gaming Hall at Cumberland (“Williamsburg”) and Cumberland Run (“Corbin”) giving the digital sports entertainment and gaming company access to operate online sports betting in the Commonwealth.
Beginning September 28, 2023, eligible customers in Kentucky will have the opportunity to place bets through DraftKings’ online sportsbook across collegiate and professional sports, including the NCAA, NFL, MLB, NBA and more. DraftKings offers Kentucky customers access to place a variety of bets, such as same-game parlays, in-game betting options, player props, special odds boost selections, and more.
“Kentucky marks the 24th Jurisdiction overall where DraftKings is live, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to deliver sports fans across Kentucky with our safe and legal mobile DraftKings Sportsbook app,” said Matt Kalish, President, DraftKings North America. “It’s an exciting time of year with the NFL and college football seasons currently underway, and we look forward to being the ultimate host, providing customers with a seamless and enjoyable sports betting experience.”
DraftKings has teamed up with popular Kentucky Sports Radio (“KSR”) host Matt Jones ahead of launching in the Commonwealth. To celebrate the occasion, Jones will be hosting his show live from The Mint Gaming Hall Cumberland in Williamsburg and placing a ceremonial first bet via the DraftKings Sportsbook app.
“I am excited to team up with DraftKings and their top-rated sportsbook to deliver KSR listeners and sports fans across Kentucky with engaging content and the latest DraftKings offerings,” said Kentucky Sports Radio Host Matt Jones. “We at KSR wanted to make sure that we were working with the best company for those eligible to wager in Kentucky, and I am ecstatic that we have done just that. We are just kicking things off in Kentucky and looking forward to celebrating more milestones with DraftKings.”
In addition to its online sportsbook, Kentucky sports bettors can place wagers in person at the newly opened DraftKings Sportsbook located at The Mint Gaming Hall Cumberland in Williamsburg and Cumberland Run in Corbin.
“We’re excited that eligible Kentucky residents will have expanded access to sports betting through DraftKings’ acclaimed online sportsbook,” said Henry Graffeo, General Manager of The Mint Gaming Hall Cumberland and Cumberland Run. “I can’t think of a more appropriate person than Matt Jones to make the ceremonial online bet as mobile sports wagering comes to Kentucky on September 28. Matt carries a voice that booms across the Commonwealth and has championed bringing sports betting to Kentucky for years. We invite his many fans to come out to The Mint Gaming Hall Cumberland to listen to Matt and the KSR crew live, as well as place a wager in person at our betting kiosks or on the DraftKings Sportsbook app while enjoying a great sports viewing experience with more than 50 televisions.”
DraftKings is committed to creating inclusive and responsible pathways for people to build, create, imagine, and innovate through the DraftKings S.E.R.V.E.S. program, with a focus on Service, Equity, Responsible Gaming, Vitality, Entrepreneurship, and Sports. Responsible gaming is a key pillar of the DraftKings S.E.R.V.E.S. program, and DraftKings’ collective mission is to protect consumers with groundbreaking technology, employee training, resources for customers, and the support of evidence-based research.
Jackpocket founder Peter Sullivan is stepping back from his day-to-day role as senior vice president of lottery at DraftKings following the company’s acquisition by the operator.
Sullivan, the co-founder of the lottery game and ticket supplier, set the company up in 2013 and ultimately led it toward a $750m takeover by DraftKings in 2024.
DraftKings completed its acquisition of Jackpocket in 2024 and has made note of its continued influence on its earnings since then.
After spending two years integrating Jackpocket’s operations into DraftKings, Sullivan, who is moving into an advisory role, said he wants to spend more time with his family and explore new opportunities.
“After 13 incredible years building Jackpocket and helping bring it together with DraftKings, I’ve decided that the time has come for me to step away from my day-to-day operating role,” he said.
“What started in 2013 as an idea to modernise how people participate in the lottery became a journey beyond anything I could have imagined.
“Along the way, we built an amazing team, navigated countless challenges, expanded across the country, helped create millions of lottery winners, and ultimately joined forces with DraftKings to accelerate our vision on an even larger scale.
“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished and deeply grateful to the employees, partners, investors, regulators, retailers and customers who believed in us along the way. Most importantly, I’m thankful for the teammates who dedicated years of their lives to building something special together.”
Advisory role for Sullivan
“As I transition into an advisory capacity, I’m excited to watch the next chapter unfold. I remain extremely bullish on the future of Lottery at DraftKings and the opportunity for its continued growth,” Sullivan added.
“Personally, I’m looking forward to spending more time with my family, pursuing new ventures and exploring other opportunities. While I’m excited for what’s ahead, I’ll always be proud of what we built and the impact we’ve made.”
The post Jackpocket Founder Peter Sullivan Steps Back After DraftKings integration appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
FIRST.bet has announced the appointment of Ian Bradley as its co-CEO. Bradley – most recently SVP at DraftKings, and a former colleague of Tom from SBTech – joins as a partner in the business alongside founder Tom Light, the two leading FIRST.bet together as the company enters its next phase of growth across LATAM, Europe and beyond.
Ian Bradley brings more than 20 years of sportsbook and trading heritage, beginning in spread betting and trading at Sporting Index and Sporting Solutions before joining SBTech – the sportsbook business whose technology became part of DraftKings through their 2020 merger. As SVP at DraftKings, he was a central figure in the company’s sportsbook success in the years that followed, with responsibility for all of its consumer sportsbook revenue.
FIRST.bet was itself founded by former SBTech leaders, making Ian Bradley’s appointment a return to the sportsbook roots where he built his career.
Bradley joins not simply as a senior executive but as a partner in the business alongside Tom Light, the two sharing ownership of FIRST.bet’s strategy and direction as co-CEOs. Having first worked together at SBTech, they combine Tom’s vision and product leadership as founder with Ian’s track record in scaling sportsbook businesses, jointly driving growth across product, technology and trading as the company expands across its core markets.
“Ian is one of the most respected leaders in our industry, and I worked alongside him at SBTech, so I’ve seen first-hand what he builds. I’ve wanted him alongside me at FIRST.bet for some time – that he’s only now free to join tells you how highly DraftKings valued him. Asking Ian to run the business with me as co-CEO is the clearest statement of intent we could make: FIRST.bet is building the platform serious operators choose, and together we’ll get there faster,” said Tom Light, Founder and co-CEO of FIRST.bet
“FIRST.bet has built something rare – a world-class team and genuinely Tier-1 technology, with the trading depth and product to back it. I wanted to work alongside a team like this and help build on the success they’ve already created. Running the company alongside Tom as co-CEO is exactly the challenge I wanted next, and the opportunity in B2B right now – across LATAM, Europe and beyond – is enormous,” said Ian Bradley, Co-CEO of FIRST.bet.
The post FIRST.bet Appoints Former DraftKings SVP Ian Bradley as Co-CEO appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
DraftKings has renewed a multi-year agreement with GeoComply to continue providing real-time geolocation and compliance services, the companies said.
The extension comes after DraftKings’ Super App launch, a unified platform approach that lets customers access either sportsbook or sports predictions depending on their location. The press release positions the renewal as supporting scale, fraud controls, geolocation and compliance requirements tied to that rollout.
GeoComply said its geolocation signals are embedded into DraftKings’ internal risk workflows, including step-up authentication and automated decisioning. The vendor said it processes 2.5 billion checks a month across its platform.
Under the extended agreement, the companies said GeoComply will continue to support DraftKings with dedicated forward-deployed engineering support.
“The operators winning this next cycle are treating geolocation intelligence as critical trust infrastructure,” said Kip Levin, CEO of GeoComply. “DraftKings has done that for years. This extension reflects how seriously they take the architecture behind player trust—and it’s what lets them keep moving fast on everything else.”
The post DraftKings renews multi-year geolocation deal with GeoComply appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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