Nevada Gaming Commission Grants Licenses to Gaming Executives

The Nevada Gaming Commission has approved several gaming industry executives for licensing, including key figures from Caesars Digital and BetMGM. The approvals come amid discussions on the evolving landscape of sports wagering and competition from entities operating outside regulatory frameworks.

Executives Granted Licenses

Among those receiving licenses in Nevada were Barbara Wilson, Chief Financial Officer at Interblock USA; Theodore Bogich, Chief Operating Officer at Boyd Gaming; John Sou, Senior Vice President and General Manager overseeing Fremont Hotel & Casino, California Hotel & Casino, and Main Street Station Hotel, Casino & Brewery; Eric Hession, President of Caesars Digital; Witold Wacinski, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Development for BetMGM; and Giuseppe Gardali, President of B2B for GAN Limited.

Eric Hession, a veteran of Caesars Entertainment for over two decades and former Chief Financial Officer, has led the company’s sports betting and iGaming operations for the past five years.

He highlighted the rapid changes in the industry, stating, “It’s very dynamic and changes seemingly every week, particularly in the last four to five months. It’s also extremely competitive. There are a lot of different companies and each state has different regulations, competitors, and dynamics. You have some federal involvement now, with the CTFC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission) authorizing certain forms of sports betting. You have sweepstakes and daily fantasy companies.”

Hession emphasized the strength of the company’s brands, William Hill and Caesars Rewards, noting their appeal to customers. “That resonates with people. We put a lot of effort in the last three years into making our product much better, so when customers come in, there are fewer friction points and they’re about to get their bets down quickly. We get it through our trading team quickly and they get their money out quickly. All of those things are very important to customers.”

Looking ahead, Hession underscored the importance of ensuring the app’s efficiency, offering relevant wagers, and maintaining ease of use for customers.

Concerns Over Illegal Operators

Commissioner George Markantonis raised concerns about unauthorized operators entering the sports betting market, referring to them as “wannabe players” who may not fully comply with legal requirements. Hession acknowledged this issue, stating that offshore operators openly by regulations while Caesars adheres strictly to all applicable laws. “I’m confident that with our team, brand, and , if we know the rules and everybody plays by them, we’ll be very successful.”

Hession pointed out the need for adaptability in response to potential federal regulations and the necessity of being operational on day one in any newly legalized state. Discussing industry risks, he mentioned his concerns about potential technical failures, particularly during critical events. “On a tactical level, I get a list of who we’re rooting for in the (NCAA tournament) basketball games and hope they go our in direction,” Hession said. “I get nervous about our app going down and having payment problems or tech issues. There’s always the risk something goes wrong from a technical aspect you didn’t expect and customers can’t use our product. That’s the worst feeling.”

This concern was particularly relevant following the failure of the William Hill app during the 2023 Super Bowl.

Witold Wacinski of BetMGM addressed the growing presence of legal sports betting and iGaming, expressing optimism about further state-level approvals that would allow for expanded operations.

Source:

‘’Caesars and BetMGM executives discuss changing sports wagering landscape with Nevada regulators’’, cdcgaming.com, March 29, 2025.