Super Group (SGHC) Limited, a leading betting and gaming company, has recently announced the resignation of John Collins from its Board of Directors, effective 31 December 2023. Collins’s decision to step down relates to his investment in a National Hockey League (NHL) team. However, Super Group stressed that the two parties did not have any disagreements regarding the company’s practices.

The Departure Should Not Affect Current Operations

Collins is currently the chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board and a member of the Audit Committee of the Board. Jonathan Jossel, who joined the company in May 2022, will take up the former position, ensuring Super Group can maintain its operations without disruptions.

Collins has been an integral part of Super Group’s growth and an influential figure during a year marked by significant development for the company. His departure comes at a time of impressive growth. In its recent third-quarter report, Super Group disclosed revenue of €356.9 million ($381.4 million), a notable 16% year-on-year increase.

The company attributed this growth to its expanding operations in Europe, North America, Africa, and the Middle East, despite declines in markets like South/Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Neal Menashe, CEO of Super Group, highlighted the remarkable third-quarter revenue, record monthly active customers, and predicted further expansion within the global iGaming sector for the company.

Collins Will Leverage His Sports Management Expertise

Collins’s decision to step down from his position on the Super Group board likely stems from his increasing focus on his interests within the NHL. He joined the New York Islanders ownership group in July 2023 as the Operating Partner for the Club. Collins’s rich history within the League shows his enduring dedication to the sport, and he will likely continue with his contributions.

Collins is more than qualified for his management position with the Islanders, drawing on his experience as COO of the National Hockey League, President and CEO of the Cleveland Browns, and a senior executive at the National Football League for fifteen seasons. He has been responsible for some pioneering developments within the NHL, and his business acumen will be invaluable to the team.

Collins’s decision to focus on his involvement in the NHL marks a transition for Super Group, which continues its trajectory of growth and expansion in the dynamic betting and gaming industry. While Super Group loses a seasoned industry veteran, it has the talent to ensure enduring success. Meanwhile, Collins is now free to pursue his priorities.

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The gambling industry’s backing of the University of Sydney’s new Centre of Excellence in Gambling Research doesn’t sit well with industry critics, who believe that the tie-up is a recipe for a conflict of interests.

The university recently unveiled its new multi-disciplinary center, which is tasked with advancing research on gambling behavior and minimizing harm. However, it became known that the University of Sydney will receive over AUD 800,000 (around $511,700) from gambling-related parties.

While some believe that the investment demonstrates the industry’s commitment to minimizing its negative impact and supporting safer gambling initiatives, others fear that it might cause a potential conflict of interest.

The Centre of Excellence in Gambling Research will be primarily supported by the International Centre for Responsible Gaming (ICRG), which will contribute AUD 600,000 to the cause. However, the ICRG is itself financially supported by gambling companies.

In addition, the University of Sydney’s new center is set to receive backing from Entain Australia, Sportsbet and the Australian Research Council’s Life Course Centre, which will provide it with AUD 180,000, 50,000 and 100,000, respectively.

The Research Needs to Stay Away from the Industry, Critics Say

Since the Centre of Excellence in Gambling Research will receive backing from the gambling industry, some fear that its work will not be fully independent. While the University of Sydney reassured interested parties that this is not the case, experts still fear that an industry-funded organization might be biased.

A Deakin University gambling expert, Samantha Thomas, expressed her thoughts on the matter. She noted that the gambling industry contributes to the problem at hand and therefore should not have a role in the research of gambling harm or development of regulatory policies.

Thomas argued that if the research seeks to understand gambling harm, then it needs to be “completely at arm’s length from the industry.”

However, the University of Sydney trusts that the ethics committee of its new center will be able to mitigate potential conflicts of interest. A spokesperson noted that the funding bodies will not have a say in the center’s decisions and research. In addition, the partnership with operators will provide the center with valuable data, the spokesperson added.

The Centre of Excellence in Gambling Research’s lead researcher, Sally Gainsbury is much more optimistic about the center than Thomas, calling it an “unprecedented collaboration” that will overcome previous limitations.

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