Boom Sports has appointed former DraftKings director of sportsbook Chris Fargis to lead its real-money sports division.
The New York-headquartered game developer and technology provider, which offers both B2B and B2C sportsbook and fantasy sports services, has recruited Fargis as general manager of real-money sports.
Fargis, a former professional poker player, spent five years as director of product (fantasy sports) from 2012, and held the position of director of sportsbook operations from 2018 to 2020.
During his eight-year tenure at DraftKings, the operator grew from its fantasy sports beginnings to become one of the most popular online sportsbooks in the US following the repeal of federal legislation outlawing betting.
In a social media post, Fargis outlined plans to build up Boom Sports’ real-money sports team, with plans to make appointments across design, engineering and product.
He said: “There is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity right now to build innovative sports betting products for a US audience, while the industry is in hyper-growth mode. We have some fantastic, differentiated ideas, and I can’t wait to get back to my product roots and start building.”
Boom Sports last year announced a market access agreement with Penn National Gaming with a plan to launch B2C sports betting in five states.
In exchange for the sports betting licenses, Boom Sports did not pay any upfront cash but has instead built a series of free-to-play games and products for Penn National. In addition, Boom has also developed real-money games and content for Penn National.
At the time, Boom Sports co-founder and chief executive Stephen Murphy described the agreement as “a pivotal moment” in the company’s history.
He said: “As we aim to become the premier technology provider for the real-money online gaming industry, this deal will allow us to unveil our unique sportsbook vision directly to consumers.”