Flutter Entertainment has announced the appointment of Steve Hawkes as Director of Reputational and Public Affairs for the FTSE100 betting group.

A Fleet Street veteran, Hawkes is a former senior reporter covering business and political affairs for The Sun, The Times and The Daily Telegraph newspapers. 

Hawkes joins Flutter from leading public affairs agency BCW Global, where he served as a Senior Director of strategic media comms since 2019.

Joining Flutter, Hawkes will lead external communications for the FTSE business’ UK and Ireland divisions that oversee the home market brands of Betfair, Paddy Power, Sky Bet and the newly acquired Tombola bingo brand.  

Commenting on his new appointment on Linkedin, Hawkes said: “Delighted to say that next month I will be joining Flutter, the FTSE30 global sports betting and gaming business, as director of reputational and public affairs in the UK and Ireland.

“Flutter operates some of the world’s most popular sports betting and gaming brands, including Betfair, Paddy Power and Sky Bet, and is committed to leading the way in player protection and safer gambling. I can’t wait to get started,”

Hawkes joins Flutter at a critical time for UK gambling plcs, who await for the government to publish the delayed White Paper on industry reforms.

Critical judgements are anticipated on the divisive issues of customer affordability checks, minimum online casino stakes, and limiting free bonus offers.   

In 2020, Flutter made national headlines by appointing former Labour Party deputy leader Tom Watson as a strategy advisor on corporate governance.

Having resigned from his ministerial duties, Watson’s office defended the appointment stating that the former MP had taken the role to improve industry standards and player protections working with Flutter Entertainment.