The past year has seen a myriad of challenges for iGaming CEOs – taxation, regulation, competition, all familiar themes for betting industry leadership, whether operators or suppliers.

Today, we’re taking a look back at some of the biggest leadership moves at sports betting and gaming solutions firms – a reminder that this industry is more than just bookmakers and casinos, with a huge ecosystem behind it.

Robson Reeves, Intralot

Perhaps in the most high profile move this year, Robson Reeves took over the reins at Intralot just a month ago under the terms of the huge deal inked between the Greek lottery tech company and American gaming giant Bally’s.

Reeves has been the CEO of Bally’s Corporation since March 2023, overseeing its full operations including the international B2B arm, Bally’s Interactive. In July this year, Intralot and Bally’s signed a deal – Intralot would acquire Bally’s Interactive, while Bally’s would take a 58% stake in Intralot.

Speaking to SBC shortly after the deal was signed, Reeves said: “We’re adding to Intralot’s business, while others are going through significant change. Things are shifting rapidly in the lottery space—this gives us an edge.”

Jonas Groes, EveryMatrix

Everyone in gaming knows of EveryMatrix. The London-founded, Malta-based B2B solutions firm has built up a considerable footprint since its foundation in 2008 with partnerships across betting, iGaming and lotteries.

This has all been under the leadership of Co-Founder and sole CEO, Ebbe Groes, but this leadership dynamic is set to change in the new year. Last month, EveryMatrix announced that Ebbe’s brother, Jonas, would be joining him as Co-CEO of the company.

“Stepping into this role at EveryMatrix alongside my brother Ebbe is a dream come true,” Jonas said. “What he, Stian Hornsletten, and the rest of the team have built is nothing short of phenomenal and I’ve seen close hand just what it takes.

“We work well together and our differences and combined strengths complement one another. I can’t wait to get started.”

Lara Falzon, Yolo Group

Yolo Group is a company with a diverse B2B and B2C portfolio, the former encompassing brands like the Hub88 and Odds88 aggregation platforms, the Live88 live casino platform, and the OneTouch game studio.

During the summer, Lara Falzon became the new CEO of Yolo Group’s B2B operations, joining the company during a crucial year. The firm has secured a foothold in the UAE, an emerging iGaming hub in the Middle East, and later on in the year expressed hope for an emerging regulated crypto betting space in Europe, particularly Estonia.

“As proven by its success so far this year, there is enormous potential for innovation, strengthening partnerships and scaling across global markets,” Falzon said. “I look forward to working alongside Yolo’s exceptionally talented team to achieve our shared goals.”

Simon Johnson, Light & Wonder

2025 was a big year for Light & Wonder, the Las Vegas-based games developer, which stands out as one of the biggest globally. The biggest change for the firm was not at the leadership level this year, however, with it instead being a listing one.

During the summer, the firm initiated a transition from its listing on the Nasdaq to a sole listing on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). This came amid a flat performance for the company, with Q2 revenue down 1%.

Earlier on in the year, a leadership shakeup defined LIght & Wonder’s business. The firm kicked off the year with an early hire, announcing its appointment of Simon Johnson as CEO of its iGaming division, a promotion from his previous role of SVP and International Managing Director.