Industry News

SharpLink Gaming Announces Board and Audit Committee Changes

Published

1 year ago

February 21, 2024

Company Welcomes Sports, Entertainment and Media Icon,
Robert Gutkowski, to Board of Directors

SharpLink Gaming, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBET) (“SharpLink” or the “Company”) today announced recent changes to its Board of Directors (the “Board”) and Audit Committee.

On February 16, 2024, the Board accepted the resignation of Adrienne Anderson as a director, Chair of the Audit Committee and member of the Compensation Committee, effective February 16, 2024. The resignation of Anderson was not the result of any disagreement with the Company, its management, the Board or any committee of the Board. The Board subsequently elected Leslie Bernhard, a current member of the Board, to serve as the new Chairperson of the Audit Committee, effective February 16, 2024.

In addition, the Board elected Robert Gutkowski as a new director and appointed him to serve as a member of the Audit and Compensation Committees, effective immediately.

Over a career spanning more than five decades, Gutkowski has proven to be a significant asset builder in the sports, entertainment and media industries. Among his key achievements was the landmark New York Yankees-Madison Square Garden Network $486 million cable distribution deal. This transaction forever changed the sports economic landscape, increased the value of the MSG Network by nearly 2,000%, and enabled the Yankees to dominate Major League Baseball media during the past two decades. In addition, he was the original architect behind radio entrepreneur Bob Sillerman’s roll-up of regional, independent concert promoters, which created SFX Entertainment – the first nationwide, vertically-integrated, concert promotion company widely recognized for transforming the multi-billion dollar live music concert industry.

From October 2014 through the present, Gutkowski has led RMG Sports Ventures LLC, a company he founded to originate and advise private equity and other institutional capital on investments in sports, entertainment and media. He recently co-originated the acquisition of True Temper Sports (the largest producer of golf shafts in the world) for Lincolnshire Management and made a substantial investment alongside Lincolnshire in True Temper.

In December 1991, Gutkowski was named President of Madison Square Garden, where he was responsible for the operations of the New York Knicks basketball team; the New York Rangers hockey team – which won the 1994 Stanley Cup Championship; MSG Communications – including the MSG Network, the nation’s largest regional cable network; MSG Entertainment and the MSG Facilities Group, which operated The Garden Arena and The Paramount Theater. He originally joined Madison Square Garden in 1985 and over the next six years held various senior executive positions, including President of the MSG Network. Under his leadership, the subscriber base of the MSG Network – the oldest and largest regional sports network in the country – more than doubled to 5.1 million subscribers. The Yankees, together with the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers, became the foundations of MSG Network’s year-round operation. In 1993 and 1994, the Garden was the most active building in the country in bookings and revenues and was named “Arena of the Year” by Pollstar Magazine.

In 1996, Gutkowski founded The Marquee Group, a worldwide sports and entertainment firm that managed, produced and marketed sports and entertainment events, as well as provided representation for athletes, entertainers and broadcasters. The Marquee Group, which became a public company in 1996, acquired many related companies, including Athletes and Artists, Sports Marketing and Television International, QBQ Entertainment, Tollin-Robbins Productions, Park Associates, Alphabet City Records, Cambridge Golf and ProServ, before being acquired by SFX Entertainment in 1999 for over $100 million.

Gutkowski is a graduate of Hofstra University, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree.

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Commenting on the Board changes, Rob Phythian, Chairman and CEO of SharpLink, stated, “There are no words to adequately express our appreciation to Adrienne for the sound and thoughtful guidance and support she has provided our leadership while serving as a director on the board of SharpLink Gaming, Ltd. since July 2021. I’m also very pleased to welcome new director Bob Gutkowski to our team. A true industry visionary renowned for his strategic brilliance, love of sports and big league deal-making success, Bob is an incredible addition to our Board and is a director whose experience will undoubtedly prove invaluable to SharpLink as we move our Company forward.”

Related Topics:Adrienne Anderson Rob Phythian Chairman and CEO of SharpLink Robert Gutkowski

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FanDuel Sports Network Appoints Damon Phillips to Lead South, Southeast, Florida and Sun Regions

Published

4 days ago

August 11, 2025

Niji Narayan

FanDuel Sports Network, owned and operated by Main Street Sports Group, announced that Damon Phillips is joining the Company as Executive Vice President, Team Partnerships, effective August 25. In this role, Phillips will assume oversight of the South, Southeast, Florida and Sun regions, including partnerships with the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, Carolina Hurricanes, Charlotte Hornets, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Miami Marlins, Nashville Predators, Orlando Magic, and Tampa Bay Rays. He will report to David DeVoe, President of Main Street Sports Group.

“Damon brings an exceptional track record of using digital innovation, audience segmentation, and cross-platform strategies to drive fan growth and engagement. As we continue to invest in our local sports media platform, Damon’s deep leadership experience at both NBC Sports and ESPN, combined with his ability to scale technology-forward solutions for both media companies and team partners, provide a unique perspective as we continue to focus on team-first solutions in a dynamic local media landscape,” said DeVoe.

“I’m thrilled to be joining a company that’s reshaping what local sports media can deliver for fans and partners. FanDuel Sports Network has built a strong foundation and is uniquely positioned to harness the power of local fandom, scale engaged audiences and unlock new growth across its markets. I’m excited to help drive this next chapter,” said Phillips.

Phillips has spent more than three decades at the intersection of sports, media, and technology, including senior leadership roles at NBCUniversal and ESPN. At NBC Sports, he served as Senior Vice President, Digital Media & Emerging Businesses, overseeing NBCSports.com, Sports Betting, Fantasy Sports, the NBC Sports YouTube Channel, Peacock B2B distribution, and multiple podcast and streaming ventures. He led partnerships with DraftKings, BetMGM, Fanatics, and others, and provided strategic direction for the company’s FAST and sports betting content initiatives.

Industry News

Caesars Entertainment Launches Signature American Roulette

Published

5 days ago

August 11, 2025

Niji Narayan

Caesars Entertainment has launched its third fully in-house developed proprietary online casino title: Signature American Roulette. Now live in New Jersey, the game is available across Caesars Palace Online Casino, Caesars Sportsbook & Casino, and Horseshoe Online Casino, bringing another standout addition to the Company’s Signature table game series.

Developed by Empire Creative, Signature American Roulette reflects Caesars’ growing investment in building its own proprietary content, a cornerstone of its online casino strategy aimed at delivering a best-in-class player experience.

“Our in-house content team’s latest addition to the Signature series of table games is a standout for our online casino players. Bringing Signature American Roulette to our iGaming platforms perfectly complements our suite of Caesars-branded table games and further strengthens the robust collection of digital offerings that bring the energy of the casino floor to players’ mobile devices,” said Matthew Sunderland, Senior Vice President and Chief iGaming Officer at Caesars Digital.

Signature American Roulette follows the recent launches of fan-favorite Signature titles, Caesars Palace Signature Multihand Blackjack Surrender in May and Signature Blackjack Surrender in June, both also developed by Empire Creative. Online casino players can enjoy these games across Caesars’ marquee iGaming platforms in New Jersey, Michigan and Ontario, with Caesars Palace Signature Multihand Blackjack Surrender now also available on Caesars Palace Online Casino in Pennsylvania.

“Signature American Roulette continues our commitment to delivering immersive and player-centric table games that align with our many iconic brands. From player-selectable wheel spin direction and speed to our intuitive favorite bets system, every detail is crafted to boost engagement. With seamless play in portrait or landscape modes and picture-in-picture win evaluations, we’re bringing the thrill of the casino straight to players’ fingertips,” said Scott Krell, Senior Director of Game Products and Head of Studio at Caesars Digital.

Those 21 and older in New Jersey can play Signature American Roulette by downloading the Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino or Caesars Sportsbook & Casino apps on iOS or Android, or visiting the platforms on desktop. These platforms are also available in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ontario, and West Virginia, offering a dynamic online casino experience that features Caesars-branded games, timeless casino classics, and unique titles from top game providers. Each platform offers a dynamic online casino experience with a range of unique games from top providers, Caesars-branded games, and timeless casino classics. Additionally, each platform integrates Caesars Rewards, the Company’s industry-leading loyalty program allowing players in the US to earn Caesars Rewards Credits redeemable for unforgettable experiences at more than 50 world-class Caesars Rewards destinations across North America.

Industry News

Maryland Casinos Generate $165.7 Million in Gaming Revenue During July

Published

1 week ago

August 7, 2025

Niji Narayan

Maryland’s six casinos combined to generate $165,661,894 in revenue from slot machines and table games during July 2025. The statewide total was down $4,159,416 (-2.5%) compared to July 2024.

Casino gaming contributions to the state during July 2025 totaled $71,857,827, a decrease of $305,727 (-0.4%) compared to July 2024. The July 2025 contributions included $51,742,064 to the Education Trust Fund, a decrease of $272,892 (-0.5%) compared to July 2024.

Casino gaming revenues also support the communities and jurisdictions where the casinos are located, Maryland’s horse racing industry, and small, minority- and women-owned businesses.

Maryland’s six privately owned casinos offer both slot machines and table games: MGM National Harbor in Prince George’s County; Live! Casino & Hotel in Anne Arundel County; Horseshoe Casino Baltimore in Baltimore City; Ocean Downs Casino in Worcester County; Hollywood Casino Perryville in Cecil County; and Rocky Gap Casino Resort in Allegany County.

The gaming revenue totals for July 2025 were as follows:

MGM National Harbor (2261 slot machines, 208 table games)

$68,587,339 in July 2025, a decrease of $3,396,384 (-4.7%) from July 2024

Live! Casino & Hotel (3832 slot machines, 179 table games)

$59,702,771 in July 2025, a decrease of $2,860,124 (-4.6%) from July 2024

Horseshoe Casino (1365 slot machines, 115 table games)

$14,415,536 in July 2025, an increase of $1,098,302 (8.2%) from July 2024

Ocean Downs Casino (900 slot machines, 18 table games)

$10,236,754 in July 2025, an increase of $615,672 (6.4%) from July 2024

Hollywood Casino (731 slot machines, 23 table games)

$7,622,642 in July 2025, an increase of $325,372 (4.5%) from July 2024

Rocky Gap Casino (630 slot machines, 12 table games)