FanDuel Appoints First Canadian GM
The Flutter Entertainment-owned sportsbook operator FanDuel Group has revealed that it has appointed Dale Hooper to the recently created position of general manager for Canada. Hooper will be in charge of developing and implementing the provider’s long-term strategy in Canada, keeping abreast of the nation’s regulatory and legalization process within each specific province.
FanDuel Group has recently revealed that it has appointed Dale Hooper to the newly created position of general manager for the burgeoning Canadian market. ©AlainAudet/Pixabay
Hooper Previously Held Roles at Rogers Communication and PepsiCo
World-renowned sportsbook operator FanDuel, which is currently owned by Flutter Entertainment, has announced that it has appointed Dale Hooper to the recently established position of FanDuel Group’s general manager for the Canadian market.
The new role will see Hooper lead the charge in developing and implementing the provider’s long-term strategy in Canada, while always staying in line with the nation’s regulatory and legalization process within each separate province.
Hooper arrives at FanDuel after several years spent at the Canadian branch of the multinational professional services network Deloitte, during which he focused specifically on Canada’s legal cannabis industry.
Before his brief stint at Deloitte Canada, Hooper served as president and chief executive of Cannabis Compliance Inc. (CCI) until December 2019, at which point the business was acquired by Deloitte.
Prior to joining Cannabis Compliance Inc. (CCI), Hooper shuffled through a variety of leadership positions at Rogers Communications. One of these included chief brand officer, a position which saw him deliver all key business, customer satisfaction, and brand metrics over the course of a three-year turnaround period.
Hooper holds extensive experience in the corporate world of Canada, having also spent 13 years at PepsiCo Canada, where he held chief marketing officer roles at both PepsiCo Foods and PepsiCo Beverages. Before that, he served in several sales and marketing roles at Cadbury Canada.
Hooper’s Track Record Helped Him Clinch Role at FanDuel
Dale Hooper’s extensive track record serving in leading roles throughout the corporate world of Canada is certainly impressive, no doubt helping him land his new role as FanDuel Group’s general manager for Canada.
In a shared statement announcing the news, Hooper noted that it was a significant time to be entering the world of sports betting:
“It is an incredible time to be a part of the growing sports gaming industry, and I look forward to joining Amy and the team as we bring the #1 sportsbook to Canada. I am proud to be joining the industry leader at such a momentous time.”
Amy Howe, FanDuel Group’s recently appointed chief executive, praised Hooper’s strong track record and respected position as an industry leader in her contribution to the operator’s press release:
“Dale has a proven track record running high growth enterprises along with strong relationships that will be invaluable to our success in Canada. He is a respected leader known for his ability to scale business units effectively, a critical skill set, as we aim to bring the excitement of our sportsbook and igaming products to Canadian citizens. It’s with great excitement that I welcome him to our team.”– Amy Howe, Chief Executive, FanDuel Group
The long-awaited launch of single-event sports betting in Canada this past August means that the appointment of Hooper to general manager has come at just the right time. The passage of bill C-218 by the Canadian Senate in June 2021 paved the way for this significant change to Canada’s sports betting industry, as prior to this development, wagers could only be placed on three or more events at once.
FanDuel Gained New CEO Earlier This Month
As previously mentioned, FanDuel Group’s current CEO Amy Howe was only recently appointed to the position in October 2021. The appointment comes after Howe became the company’s interim CEO in June 2021, following the departure of its previous chief executive Matt King.
Howe had already been working at FanDuel for months prior to her taking on the role of interim CEO and then official CEO. In February 2021, she joined the sportsbook and fantasy sports operator as its new president, leading its core commercial operations across its sportsbook, casino, racing and daily fantasy businesses.
Before joining FanDuel, Howe served as the global chief operating officer of Ticketmaster — the largest division of Live Nation Entertainment. Commenting on her new role as the group’s CEO, she emphasized the brand’s reach and stressed the need to avoid complacency:
“Since joining the business, I have been very impressed by the quality of our team and the strategic advantages we enjoy in terms of brand reach, product quality and the broad expertise we leverage from being part of the wider Flutter Group. That said, we must avoid complacency and remain focused on executing on our long-term strategy to build the embedded value of the business. I look forward to working with Peter and the wider team to drive FanDuel’s continued success.”
Mohegan and FanDuel Partnered in CT in July 2021
Back in July 2021, Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment, which is the gaming branch of the Mohegan Tribe, revealed that it would be partnering with online sports betting giant FanDuel in an exclusive market access deal in the state of Connecticut.
What this means is that FanDuel will be allowed to provide both retail and online sports betting, as well as online casino gaming. The partnership is thanks to the signing of a tribal compact and legislative bill between two Connecticut tribes and the state of Connecticut.
Before landing its deal with FanDuel, the Mohegan Tribe had a standing deal with another popular sports betting provider: Kambi. FanDuel will now be taking the place of Kambi in providing Mohegan with its sports betting services.
