
Tennessee Sports Wagering Advisory Council hires new executive director
Former general counsel to secretary of state Tre Hargett will oversee the state’s regulation of sports betting from January

The Sports Wagering Advisory Council for Tennessee has appointed Mary Beth Thomas as its new executive director.
A total of nine council members voted in her favour as she beat off competition from Roger Guillemette and Scott Sloan.
In her new role, she will oversee the regulation of sports betting from the Tennessee Lottery, which will become effective by January.
She previously served as the general counsel under Tennessee secretary of state Tre Hargett, where she was also in charge of regulating fantasy sports and charitable gaming.
Sports betting was legalized in the state of Tennessee in November 2020 and has since become one of the fastest-growing states in terms of revenue.
Tennessee sportsbooks have secured $1.56bn in bets since that date, with $135.6m in revenue.