Birgitte Sand, one of the industry’s leading experts on regulation and a key figure in the development of the industry in Denmark, is to be inducted into the Sports Betting Hall of Fame on the final day of the Betting on Sports Europe conference and exhibition. 

The Sports Betting Hall of Fame was launched by SBC in 2016 to recognise the individuals who have made important lasting contributions to the industry, and its latest members will be celebrated at a special ceremony at London’s Natural History Museum on 11 November.

Sand is perhaps best known for her 12 years as Director General of the Danish Gambling Authority, during which time she was responsible for the successful construction and consolidation of a liberalised gambling licensing regime covering betting, online casino, land-based casinos, lotteries and gaming machines.

She is also a Past President and Patron of the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR).

During a 25-year career, Sand has amassed extensive leadership experience, covering in-depth restructuring tasks, implementation of numerous comprehensive law complexes, and digital transformations.

She now utilises those skills and her in-depth experience of dialogue-based relationships between regulators and the gambling industry in her consulting business, Birgitte Sand & Associates, and work on various boards.  

No stranger to awards, Sand’s induction to the Sports Betting Hall of Fame follows the International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL) European Regulator of the Year 2017 title and the Compliance Lifetime Achievement Special Award from VIXIO GamblingCompliance.

Sand said: “I am very grateful to SBC for this fine honour and proud to be in the company of so many great people! I also allow myself to take the recognition as a valuable expression of the importance of dialogue between the gambling industry and regulators.”

The European Sports Betting Hall of Fame Class of 2021 also includes Ludovico Calvi (President, Global Lottery Monitoring System), Simon Bold (Founder SBGL and Former CEO bwin International), Vincent Caldwell (Founder, betinternet and Chairman & CEO, Virtual Software), Clive Hawkswood (Former CEO, RGA and Former Chairman, RAiG), and Jan Svendsen (Founder, Coolbet, Nordicbet and Triobet). All will be inducted at a lavish ceremony at the Natural History Museum on 11 November, the final day of the Betting on Sports Europe event, which takes place at Stamford Bridge, London.

The North American Sports Betting Hall of Fame Class of 2021 includes Yolanda Acuña (Former Director of Race & Sports Administration, MGM Resorts International), Joe Asher (President of Sports Betting, IGT), Johnny Avello (Director of Race & Sportsbook Operations, DraftKings), Joe Brennan Jr (Former Chair, IMEGA), and Jimmy Vaccaro (Legendary Las Vegas Bookmaker / Sports Marketing Director, South Point Hotel & Casino). They will be inducted at a ceremony at the MetLife Stadium on December 1, 2021, during the SBC Summit North America conference and trade show. 

About the Sports Betting Hall of Fame

SBC launched the Sports Betting Hall of Fame in 2016, in order to honour, preserve and perpetuate the names and outstanding accomplishments of personalities who have brought lasting success to the industry. 

The original inductees were Carsten Koerl (Founder & CEO, Sportradar), Mark Blandford (Founder, Sportingbet), and Howard Chisholm (Director, Bookmakers Technology Consortium). 

They have since been joined by: 

2017: Paris Smith (CEO, Pinnacle), Fred Done (Founder, Betfred), and Vigen Badalyan (Founder & CEO, BetConstruct).

2018: Norbert Teufelberger (Co-Founder, Bwin), Pontus Lindwall (CEO, Betsson), Warwick Bartlett (CEO, GBGC), Constantinos Antonopoulos (Vice-Chairman, Intralot), and Fabio Schiavolin (CEO, Snaitech). 

2019: Denise Coates (Founder & CEO, bet365), John Boyle (Founder & Chairman, BoyleSports), John Anderson (former CEO, 888 Holdings), Armin Sageder (Founder, paysafecard & BGT), Richard Flint (Non-Executive Director, Flutter Entertainment & former CEO, Sky Betting & Gaming), Jukka Honkavaara (Bettor who placed the first ever online sports bet), Art Manteris (retired VP Race and Sports Book Operations, Station Casinos), Dennis Drazin (CEO, Monmouth Park), and Chris Christie (former NJ Governor).

2020: Ralph Topping (former William Hill CEO), Victor Chandler (Founder, BetVictor), Bill Mummery (pioneer in online betting & Asian market), Giovanni Garrisi (CEO, StanleyBet), Juan B. Pérez Hidalgo (former President, Coljuegos), Victor Salerno (President, USBookmaking & US Fantasy Sports), Raymond Lesniak (former NJ State Senator), Roxy Roxborough (Legendary Las Vegas Oddsmaker), Sara Slane (former Sr. VP, American Gaming Association), and Jay Rood (SVP, Risk & Trading, Bally’s Interactive).