GeoComply, Gateway and Okto fill up key executive positions

GeoComply, Gateway and Okto fill up key executive positions

With mergers and acquisitions often occurring throughout the business, Gateway Casinos and Entertainment, Okto, and GeoComply appear in our latest roundup of recent maneuvers.

GeoComply Solutions Inc

GeoComply has revealed that chair Anna Sainsbury has been reappointed as the business’s CEO, a role she previously held for seven years after co-founding the company in 2011.

She will succeed fellow co-founder David Briggs, who served as CEO from 2018 to 2019. Briggs will now serve as a director focused on strategic projects, including the group’s growth of cybersecurity services into new markets.

Further, GeoComply strengthened its commercial and business development strategy with the appointment of Sarafina Wolde Gabriel to the position of senior director of global markets.

“David will remain an integral part of the firm by focusing on unique projects, not the least of which will be giving core leadership on GeoComply’s future in fintech,” Sainsbury stated.

“He will also be responsible for overseeing and delivering innovation on the product front, as well as integrating our internship and graduate recruitment programs to ensure our team’s continued growth. Under his leadership, GeoComply has gone through a transformational stage, expanding into new sectors and attracting institutional investment.”

GeoComply, founded in 2011, provides fraud prevention and cybersecurity tools that detect location fraud and assist users in establishing their authentic digital identities. Our award-winning products are built on technology designed specifically for the highly regulated and sophisticated online gaming and sports betting markets in the United States. Apart from iGaming, GeoComply provides geolocation fraud detection solutions to streaming video broadcasters and the online banking, payments, and cryptocurrency industries, amassing an impressive list of global customers, including Amazon Prime Video the BBC, Akamai, Sightline, DraftKings, FanDuel, and MGM.

GeoComply’s software is installed on more than 400 million devices worldwide. It analyzes more than 3 billion transactions per year, putting the company in a unique position to identify and combat established and developing fraud risks.

GeoComply’s solutions, proven and honed over a decade of research, combine location, device, and identity information with advanced machine learning to detect and flag fraudulent activities. By incorporating GeoComply’s solutions into their processes and risk engines, enterprises may detect fraud early in a user’s engagement, establish a user’s actual digital identity more effectively, and enable digital trust.

Gateway Casinos and Entertainment 

Queenie Wong has been confirmed as Gateway Casinos & Entertainment’s chief financial officer, subject to regulatory approval. Wong joined the company in 2011 and previously held key finance positions, including chief accounting officer and senior vice president of finance.

She is credited with being crucial in several significant growth transactions, including the acquisition of Playtime Gaming, which brought six locations to the company’s portfolio, the company’s successful expansion into Ontario, which now totals 12, and the company’s refinancing in October 2021.

“Queenie’s leadership has been critical in facilitating Gateway’s growth across the Company’s portfolio of properties and new developments, as well as serving as a strategic leader during the COVID recovery period,” said Tony Santo, Gateway’s CEO.

Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited (“Gateway”) is one of Canada’s most extensive and varied gambling and entertainment corporations. Across its 27 gaming sites in British Columbia, Ontario, and Edmonton, Alberta, Gateway employs around 8,279 people and has approximately 440 table games (including 48 poker tables), 13,915 slots, 93 restaurants and bars, and 561 hotel rooms. Gateway is the service provider for the Central, Southwest, and North gambling Bundles in Ontario, which contains 11 establishments in their portfolio. A multi-pronged expansion strategy has seen Gateway diversify and increase its product offering, including building its casino and restaurant brands, drastically improving the gaming client experience while drawing new customers. Gateway’s unique brands include Match Eatery & Public House, Atlas Steak + Fish, and the upcoming Halley’s Club. In 2017, Gateway celebrated 25 years in gaming and entertainment in Canada. The Gateway to Your Future starts with us.

Gateway recognizes and empowers our team members, who make it all possible. A job with Gateway involves working with fantastic colleagues, getting acknowledged for your unique contribution and professional progression chances across our 27 sites. Our staff thrives with continual training and leadership initiatives while working in a dynamic and exciting workplace.

Golden Entertainment

Brian Kurtz has been named senior vice president and general manager of Rocky Gap Casino Resort in Flintstone, Maryland, by Golden Entertainment. Kurtz will supervise resort operations in his new role. Primary responsibilities include ensuring that all team members receive the training, knowledge, and resources necessary to provide excellent service to visitors. He is also accountable for the property’s long-term viability and profitability.

“Brian has been a valuable member of the Golden Entertainment team for more than a decade and adds a wealth of knowledge in the hospitality sector to this critical job,” said Blake Sartini II, Golden Entertainment’s executive vice president of operations.

“We are certain that with his strategic vision for guest care and resort operations, he will continue to advance the Rocky Gap brand.”

Golden Entertainment, Inc. is a gaming company with two divisions: distributed gaming and casino operations. Golden Entertainment operates over 12,000 gaming machines and almost 30 table games in Nevada, Maryland, and Montana. Golden is also licensed in Illinois to manage video gaming terminals. The Company owns four casinos, over 50 taverns, and around 980 scattered gaming outlets across different jurisdictions. Golden Entertainment is committed to maximizing profitability and shareholder value via the use of its scale, market leadership, and proven managerial capabilities.

Okto Entertainment 

Okto has reaffirmed its commitment to the UK market by appointing Rob Peché as the national manager for the region. Peché will supervise commercial efforts in the United Kingdom and work to accelerate the digital revolution of the gaming, leisure, and entertainment industries.

“We are happy to welcome Rob to the growing Okto team at this critical moment for the brand as we strive to build on a positive and exciting first year in the UK market working with partners such as Regal, Inspired, Bob Rudd, and Merkur UK,” said Simon Dorsen, CCO at Okto.

“Rob is well-versed in the gaming industry, having worked in several senior customer-facing roles for 18 years. He will contribute to the brand’s market-leading position in the AGC, Bingo, Casino, LBO, Pub, and Bar sectors.” Our senior team is comprised of individuals that are passionate about and knowledgeable about gaming, and Rob most certainly matches that description.”

About Lou De Aguila

Lou Aguila is a news and feature writer for Golden Casino News. For over a decade, Lou has published news and featured articles for some of the most reputable sports betting and online casino sites in the world, including BetNow.UK, VegasOdds, and BWin. Apart from being a hardcore live casino punter, he also covers sports stories in North American leagues from time to time.