Aaron Mollura has become the Director of Marketing & Promotions at the recently opened Seminole Brighton Bay Hotel & Casino.

Mollura will be looking to establish the new resort as the premier entertainment destination in South Central Florida, while attracting guests from both coasts of the state.

“Aaron has extensive experience in the casino industry, so we’re happy he’s joined the team. He’s going to be a tremendous asset going forward,” said General Manager Marty Johns.

Mollura started his casino career in 2004 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa in the Players Club. After a stint as Player Development Manager (he oversaw all casino hosts), he transferred to the former Hard Rock Rocksino in Northfield, Ohio where he was the Director of Marketing. He helped make it the number one property in Ohio.

In 2017, Mollura moved to the Hollywood Casino in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where he held the positions of Vice President of Marketing and Vice President of Food & Beverage. He oversaw the property’s sale and its construction expansion from a riverboat to a fully land based casino.

Three years ago, Mollura relocated back to Cape Coral, Florida and worked as Vice President of Marketing for a consortium of 38 home service repair providers around the country.

“I knew I missed the casino industry, so when I saw the opportunity at Seminole Brighton Bay Hotel & Casino, I just had to pursue it. It’s an exciting time for sure,” said Mollura.

Texas Lottery Commission Executive Director Ryan Mindell on Monday, Feb. 24, issued a Policy Statement, announcing that lottery ticket courier services are not allowed under Texas law and that the agency will move forward with proposed rule amendments prohibiting lottery courier services within the state.

The Policy is effective immediately and aligns with legislative efforts to address serious concerns raised by players and state leadership regarding the integrity, security, honesty, and fairness of lottery operations. Under the proposed amendments, a retailer that works in concert with a courier service would have their lottery ticket sales agent license revoked. The rule amendments will be formally proposed by agency staff to the Commission board at an open meeting scheduled for Tuesday, March 4, with the intent for the amendments to be adopted at an April open meeting following a 30-day public comment period.

Couriers are unregulated companies that take lottery ticket orders from customers online. Upon receipt of funds from a customer, the courier purchases lottery tickets from a licensed lottery retailer with whom the courier has a private business arrangement. In practice, the courier and the retailer are often located in the same building or office. The courier transmits a scanned image of the ticket to the customer and retains the ticket until it is determined to be a winning or non-winning ticket. Couriers charge a fee for their service to purchase and manage their customers’ tickets. These activities all occur without the oversight of a regulating authority to ensure that the public is protected from potential crime and other harms.

“The Texas Lottery was established to provide a secure and transparent system for players to purchase tickets in person from licensed brick-and-mortar retailers for the purpose of generating revenue for public education and veterans’ services in a responsible manner. Lottery courier services operating in Texas have been a significant concern for many of our stakeholders. Previously, the agency interpreted its authority as not extending to the regulation or prohibition of these services. Since I became executive director less than a year ago, I have been keenly focused on making changes to improve the public’s perception of Texas Lottery games and how they are played and operated. In recent days, our agency conducted a review of our authority under the State Lottery Act. As a result of this review and information from recent retailer investigations, the Commission will revoke the license of a retailer that works with or assists a courier service and we are moving to prohibit courier services in Texas to ensure all ticket sales comply with state law and agency regulation as well as to maintain public trust,” said Mindell.

The impact of lottery courier services has raised public concerns regarding consumer protection, compliance with state law, the proliferation of crime, and the potential for unauthorized expansion of lottery sales. In recent years, scrutiny over the role of these services has increased, with calls for regulatory action to ensure all ticket purchases remain within a clearly defined, secure, and enforceable legal framework.

“Our priority is to protect the security and integrity of the Texas Lottery and the public’s confidence in our games. By this rule proposal, the agency will take decisive action to ensure that ticket sales remain in full compliance with state law. Maintaining a well-regulated lottery system that serves the people of Texas is essential to fulfilling our mission of responsibly generating important revenue for public education and veterans’ services in our state. I look forward to adopting these rules and continuing our commitment to the people of Texas. The Texas Lottery Commission is dedicated to upholding the integrity of lottery operations and will work in full cooperation with the Legislature to implement any further changes deemed necessary,” Robert G. Rivera, Chairman of the Texas Lottery Commission, said.

BETBY, the premium sportsbook supplier, continues to strengthen its global footprint with the appointment of Juan Pablo Barahona as LATAM Regional Director.

Bringing over 17 years of experience across management, administration, marketing, and sales, Barahona has built a distinguished career within the betting and gaming industry. His expertise extends into the online media sector, technology, and both hardware and software sales, catering to retail, governmental, and e-commerce channels.

Throughout his career, Barahona has successfully navigated the Latin American market, holding key roles at industry-leading organizations such as Entain or Betway Group and technology giants.  His wealth of experience and deep market knowledge make him a vital addition to BETBY’s expansion strategy in the region.

In his new role, Barahona will be responsible for driving BETBY’s regional business development, strengthening partnerships, and reinforcing the company’s position as a premier sportsbook supplier in Latin America.

Juan Pablo Barahona, LATAM Regional Director at BETBY, commented: “I am excited to be joining BETBY at such a pivotal moment in the company’s growth journey. The LATAM market presents immense opportunities, and I look forward to leveraging my experience to expand BETBY’s presence and forge strong relationships across the region.”

Chris Nikolopoulos,  Chief Commercial Officer  at BETBY, said: “Juan Pablo’s extensive industry background and deep understanding of the LATAM market make him a key asset for BETBY. As we continue our global expansion, his leadership will be instrumental in strengthening our presence and delivering cutting-edge solutions tailored to our partners in the region.”