Ex-partypoker chief Jeffrey Haas joins DraftKings
Daily fantasy sports operator plots international expansion after being awarded licence by the GB regulator
Former group director of poker at bwin.party Jeffrey Haas has joined daily fantasy sports operator (DFS) DraftKings to oversee the operatorâs imminent launch in the UK and other international markets in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. [private]
Haas joins the Boston-headquartered firm as chief international officer and will be based out of the firmâs new London office when it is ready later this year.
He will oversee the recruitment of more than 20 new positions at the office including in CRM, communications, analytics, compliance, business development and corporate partnerships.
His appointment comes after the DFS firm announced it obtained an operating licence from Great Britainâs gambling regulator, and CEO Jason Robins said launching in the UK was a âmilestone momentâ for the growth of his frim.
âWe will add new sports and games to our burgeoning roster of offerings and further connect fans to their favorite team and players. We also welcome the opportunity to forge new partnerships with leagues, teams and media outlets internationally as we have done with exceptional success in the US,â he said.
Last month eGR North America exclusively revealed that Haas quit his role at bwin.party after less than two years having overseen the operatorâs launch in the newly-regulated New Jersey market and an overhaul of the partypoker product.
Haas said DraftKings was well-poised for international growth and that he was âexcitedâ to be leading their expansion efforts.
âDFS is a growing category outside of North America, and we have a tremendous opportunity to engage sports fans around the world,â he said in a statement.
DraftKings has achieved impressive scale in the North America DFS sector, and along with rival FanDuel holds around 95% of the market.
The firm recently completed a $300m Series D funding round, valuing the operator at more than $1bn.
But questions remain over whether the daily fantasy sports model will build traction among players outside of the US.