Betfred has unveiled Bryan Bennett as the new chief operating officer of its US-facing business.
Bennett is a veteran of the US gaming market who has advised start-ups and provided consultancy services for companies in the igaming, sports betting and social gaming spaces.
He served as vice-president of marketing at social casino games developer RocketPlay for three years before its takeover by American Gaming Systems in 2015.
Following the acquisition, he worked as vice-president of marketing within the AGS Interactive division before becoming senior vice-president of the unit in October 2016 – a role he held until June of this year. He also previously served in senior positions at developers such as Booyah and Kabam.
Bennett confirmed the news on his LinkedIn profile, which added that he is hiring across various positions in Las Vegas, including in marketing, customer support, administration and product development, illustrating Betfred USA’s growth plans.
“I’ll be leading Betfred’s expansion into the US retail and online sports betting market, and I cannot wait to get started working with the entire Betfred team to tackle this huge opportunity,” Bennett said.
Betfred group chief operating officer Mark Stebbings added that Bennett’s appointment had been confirmed “after a thorough process”.
Stebbings added: “Bryan has a wealth of experience and an exemplary track record. He shares our vision for our US operation and this appointment will help us achieve our goals in this exciting new market.”
The UK-based bookmaker confirmed its intention to expand in the US when, in July, it struck a deal to provide sports betting technology and operations to Elite Casino Resort-owned Grand Falls Casino Resort in Iowa.
The US move is part of a broader international growth strategy, with Betfred having also secured a licence to offer its online sportsbook and casino in Spain earlier this year.