After the landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2018, in which the court struck down the ban on sports betting, any state got the option to pursue legalization. The state of New Jersey was the first to make sports betting legal. Yet, the legal infrastructure of sports betting still remains complex. For example, in each state, online betting companies such as FanDuel and DraftKings have to apply for supplier licenses, and the licensing process varies depending on the state. In addition, after the licensed is granted, these companies must reach agreements with existing land-based casinos for what is called “skins,” which is what eventually gives them the right to operate in each state. For instance, DraftKings made a deal with Caesars last year, which gave it market access in 12 states outside New Jersey, and in the meantime, Caesars received DraftKings equity for the skins access. FansUnite Entertainment Inc. (CSE: FANS), DraftKings Inc. (NASDAQ: DKNG), GAN Limited (NASDAQ: GAN), MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM), Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR)

The complexity of the legal infrastructure means that states may have different companies competing for market share. According to an article by CNBC, Richard Carter, CEO of SBTech, explained that “there is no doubt both FanDuel and DraftKings will have large market share… But different states will have different market leaders. You need market access. Some states will be lottery-only. Some states will be limited to tribal gaming. Some states won’t allow FanDuel and DraftKings to use their brands. They’ll have to use the casino brand. There are lots of nuances. You have to take each state as it comes.” More recently, sports betting also started to get traction in California, an enormous potential market for this segment. MarketWatch reported that two California lawmakers recently pitched legalized sports betting as a way to help increase the state budget, which is currently devastated by the economic shutdown designed to slow the spread of the pandemic. California trails 22 other states that have already authorized sports betting.

FansUnite Entertainment Inc. (CSE: FANS) just announced breaking news that it is, “pleased to introduce Mr. Saxon Shadforth, a leading gaming executive.

Mr. Shadforth has over 25 years of global leadership expertise and 15 years experience as an online gambling executive. With a background in commercialization, consumer hardware/software, enterprise software, product strategy and delivery; Saxon has extensive experience managing complex ecosystems required to operate and scale gaming brands in many categories and jurisdictions. Saxon has previously worked at Activo in Montevideo, Uruguay, Yew Tree Services in Manila, Philippines, Riplife Gaming Technologies in Barcelona, Spain and Gateway Inc. in both Sydney, Australia and Denver, Colorado.

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‘We are extremely excited to have an individual of Saxon’s caliber join our board of directors,’ said Darius Eghdami, Chairman and CEO of FansUnite Entertainment. ‘As a fast growing company in the gaming sector, Mr. Shadforth is perfectly equipped to provide us with oversight in a number of growth areas. Having spent the majority of his career working abroad in North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America, Saxon will be integral in expanding our footprint and entering international gaming jurisdictions by leveraging his established network.’

As a veteran in the gaming industry, he has structured and advised on the launch of new platforms across the globe, numerous M&A transactions in both start ups and later stage growth companies, and has managed teams of over 300 people in the gaming industry.

‘I am thrilled to be joining such a great team where I will be able to apply my skill set in helping FansUnite build and grow their platform,” said Saxon. “As a online gambling company, FansUnite is uniquely positioned to consolidate gaming assets globally with a key focus on M&A integration and brand awareness. I am eager to provide my insights and I look forward to assisting FansUnite become a leader in the fast growing gaming market.’

FansUnite expects Mr. Shadforth to add expertise in various areas including: product development, acquisition strategy, and commercialization of brands into global markets to support its continued growth as an emerging gaming leader.”

SOURCE FinancialBuzz.com

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