Online gambling operator PointsBet has announced the appointment of Scott Vanderwel as the first chief executive of its Canadian business.
Vanderwel will oversee the operator’s operations in Canada and report directly to PointsBet global chief executive Sam Swanell.
Vanderwel joins PointsBet having most recently served as senior vice president for Rogers Communications. Prior to this, he led the Canadian practice for global business strategy consultancy Monitor Group and is currently chair of the Ivey Alumni Network Board.
“The sports betting industry has demonstrated how it can entertain consumers, engage sports fans and deliver quality products, and PointsBet has been at the forefront of doing it the right way in markets around the world,” Vanderwel said.
“We’re going to build a modern, responsible, distinctly Canadian operation and I can’t wait to get started.”
The appointment comes after Canada moved to legalize single-event sports betting for the first time, significantly opening up wagering options for consumers in the country.
“I’m excited to take my decades of corporate experience and apply it to building an elite organization ready to serve customers and help responsibly jump-start a brand-new industry in Canada,” Vanderwel said.
PointsBet has made a series of senior appointments in Canada in anticipation of the country legalizing single-event sports betting.
Last week, the operator named Chantal Cipriano as its new vice president, legal, compliance and people for its Canada business, while in June it also appointed Nic Sulsky as chief commercial officer for its operations in the country.
“We’re thrilled that Scott has agreed to serve as the first CEO of PointsBet Canada and help us build a team and a business strategy that can serve the new Canadian market with the same sort of creativity and customer-focus that our clients in the US and around the world have come to expect from PointsBet,” Swanell said.
This week, PointsBet also named Aaron O’Sullivan, formerly of Bet365 and Rank Group, as its vice president of online casino revenue and to oversee North American operations.