In a strategic leadership transition, the founding family behind theScore will step down from their roles at PENN Interactive, a subsidiary of PENN Entertainment, Inc. The operator retains its focus on consolidating its offerings following the successful launches of ESPN Bet and theScore Bet and should be well-positioned to pursue further growth in 2024.

The Levys Were Instrumental in Penn’s Success

TheLevy family, consisting of John Levy, Benjie Levy, Aubrey Levy, and Noah Levy, played pivotal roles in integrating theScore with PENN Interactive after the gambling giant acquired  Score Media and Gaming Inc. in October 2021. The integration involved bringing together theScore and PENN Interactive under the leadership of Benjie Levy as head of interactive and John Levy as executive chairman of theScore.

Parent company PENN Entertainment expressed gratitude for the Levy family’s contribution to its successful integrated media and betting strategy. CEO and president of PENN Entertainment Jay Snowden emphasized the Levys’ entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering role in the sports media and gaming industry, highlighting their shared passion for innovation.

I am very proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish with (the Levys), including the development of an extremely deep and talented bench at PENN Interactive.

Jay Snowden, PENN Entertainment CEO and president

Penn Entertainment is now actively searching for a replacement for Benjie Levy, the company’s head of interactive. The new hire will have large shoes to fill, as Levy was instrumental in several significant milestones for Penn Interactive. His efforts contributed to the successful sale of Barstool Sports back to David Portnoy and the $1 billion ESPN deal.

Their Departure Heralds a New Era for the Operator

John Levy will depart Penn in mid-February, while the rest of the family will leave in April 2024. This approach ensures a smooth management shift and should help avoid significant disruptions. The Levys have not yet disclosed any plans post-departure, but it is safe to guess that they will remain involved with the industry that brought them such significant success. 

Benjie Levy noted he was happy with the Penn partnership, thanking the team for their support. He highlighted the successful merger of the two organizations, allowing them to implement their integrated media and betting strategy. He added that the two companies had a shared vision, matched only by their efforts to foster a world-class working environment.

We could not be more proud of this team and what we have accomplished together, and we look forward to watching as they continue to build upon the successful foundation we established at theScore.

Benjie Levy, head of PENN Interactive and president and chief operating officer of theScore

The departure of the Levy family from their roles at PENN Interactive marks a significant transition point for the company. With its robust and experienced team, PENN Entertainment aims for a seamless leadership transition and continued growth as a leader in online gaming and sports media. The company hopes to fully leverage its resources and maintain its impressive momentum going into 2024.

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The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) announced that Carl Brincat, its current chief executive officer, will be departing from the regulatory body. In the meantime, the MGA will issue a public call to determine his successor.

According to the MGA, Brincat will not be seeking renewal of his current contract, which is set to expire on January 25, 2024. His yet-to-be-appointed successor is therefore set to step into the office on January 26, 2024.

As mentioned, the leadership succession plan will see the MGA issue a public call for applications. The MGA hopes to ensure a seamless transition of responsibilities from Brincat to his successor.

The MGA also added that prior to stepping into the office, the new CEO will spend several weeks shadowing Brincat.

Brincat: Leaving the MGA Was a “Very Hard Decision to Make”

In the meantime, the Maltese regulator’s board of directors thanked Brincat for his exceptional leadership and contributions. Ryan C. Pace, chairperson of the MGA, lauded Brincat as someone who has contributed a lot to the MGA and the Maltese gaming industry as a whole. Pace said that the MGA team is very thankful for the strong foundation left by Brincat, saying that they will allow the regulator to pursue its strategic goals.

Brincat also commented on his departure, saying that the decision to leave didn’t come easy.

Leaving the MGA is a very hard decision to make. The past 9 years have been a rollercoaster of experiences which contributed to the person I am today, and it has been a privilege to lead the Authority for the past 3 years.

Carl Brincat, outgoing CEO, MGA

Brincat added that he is very proud of the work that he and his team have done together. He praised the people he worked with for their passion and said that he is looking forward to working with them for a few more months.

Brincat also said that he is certain his successor will find the MGA team just as fantastic and will work with the rest of the MGA to drive further improvements. The outgoing CEO concluded that he will continue to follow the future of the MGA with interest.

On a final note, the MGA expressed its commitment to serving the Maltese gaming sector and “unlocking new opportunities for innovation and excellence.

In other news, the MGA just revoked the license of Arabmillionaire Limited.

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Yariv Lavi took to his social media to make the big announcement. The “highly experienced International Business Development executive” who specializes in finding, assessing, and implementing strategic deals has shared that he would be “leaving #888 this week” at the end of what he described as an incredible journey. 

Lavi, “Appreciative for the Opportunity” to Be Part of the 888 Team 

Speaking about his rich experience with the company, Lavi praised his collaboration with his “talented” managers and colleagues from whom he had a lot to learn while expressing his pride regarding the results they achieved together over the years. 

Among other responsibilities that he has as part of the group, the Tel Aviv University graduate was responsible for leading 888’s first acceleration program and creating fresh alliances and strategic partnerships aimed at helping the company penetrate regulated markets. 

During the same announcement, Lavi expressed his gratitude for being given the opportunity to collaborate with some of the most reputable gaming operators worldwide while also working together with “amazing partners across the industry.”

He also took the opportunity to thank everyone who has made his time at 888 “so special” and wish them good luck in the future while looking forward to seeing what the future has in store for his own career path.

From November 2009 onward, Lavi has been in charge of corporate development, product business development, commercial leadership, initiating and leading re-negotiation rounds for high-profile product agreements, including a deal with an important games platform that generated a year-on-year saving of 25% and up to $1.5 million per annum, and business development. 

Some of his most noteworthy achievements count helping 888 acquire William Hill’s non-US assets last July or supporting the group with its growth plans in international markets.

Before joining 888, Lavi was BVR Systems’ marketing director, Israel Aerospace Industries’ sales director, and Spacecom’s marketing manager.

888 Team Bidding Farewell to Lavi

888’s chief executive officer, Bjorn Krantz, recalled their first content deal they inked over a decade ago deal on New Year’s Eve, calling it “a true pleasure to have been connected all this time” while wishing Lavi the very best in his upcoming next adventure. 

888 Holdings’ chief product officer, Roee Peled, also wished Lavi good luck while speaking about the “big impact” that he made on their gaming products and saying it has been “great” working with him for so long. 

Dror Altman is another important 888 Holding figure who has been part of the group for over 12 years as director of economic analysis and performance, and director of commercial and financial planning and analysis, among others. Altman also replied to Lavi’s announcement, saying it has been “a pleasure” working with him over the past years “pushing 888 with many business opportunities and deals.”

Former 888 Holdings CEO Itai Pazner also wished Lavi “lots of luck” in his new path while describing him as a genuine asset to 888 and praising his negotiator skills that landed the group “some of the best gaming/betting provider deals in the industry”. 

Towards the end of March, 888 announced a media partnership agreement with Wavemaker for UK brands. 
For the time being, the UK Gambling Commission has put 888 Holdings’ operating license under review as a result of alleged bribery accusations under investigation.

The post Yariv Lavi Confirms Plans to Leave 888 after 13.5 Years appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Many people believe in succeeding with the help of good luck. Some engage in good luck rituals, others make a wish when a clock shows the same number three or four times. But then there are some that believe that good luck can be lost and they need to hold on to it.

This is precisely the case of a young woman that was recently recorded playing a slot machine and refusing to leave even for a bathroom break. Yes, that’s right, a woman actually refused to leave her seat at a slot machine to even go to the bathroom. And she peed on the floor of the casino instead.

The new viral video shows a young woman playing a slot machine and peeing in her seat. There’s a puddle on the floor and sadly, she doesn’t mind and continues to gamble as if nothing happened. But why would anyone do this someone might wonder? Well, there’s a myth surrounding slots and particularly winning streaks and luck.

Many gamblers believe that once they start playing a slot, they must continue until they win. Although that sounds like at-risk gambling or even gambling addiction, apparently such activity isn’t anything new. Gamblers would sit and play slots sometimes for hours and not even go on a bathroom break. It’s no surprise that this would continue until the person has no money left, or, in some cases wins.

If anyone leaves their slot machine, then another person would swoop in and hit the big win, dedicated gamblers say. This is a prime reason why people would spend hours and refuse to leave their slot machines even for a bathroom or a snack break.

Slots Veterans Would Rather Use Diapers

The video that hit Instagram last week doesn’t confirm the name of the venue or the identity of the player. However, that apparently isn’t important, as peeing on the casino floor isn’t that uncommon. Seasoned gamblers come prepared for such situations by using diapers.

Comments on social media under the newly released video confirm that using diapers to keep your spot on a slot machine is a thing. What’s more worrying, some online users explained that many people would even die on the casino floor and not leave the slot machine they are sitting at. One online user noted that people fail to take their medication or do not engage in other medical treatments to keep their slot. “They find people dead at slot machines all the time,” wrote that online user.

In Nevada, a person caught urinating or defecating in public can be subject to a fine or prison. Such activities are typically labeled as a misdemeanor and can be subject to a fine of up to $2,000 or even imprisonment.

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