Do you know DraftKings has an workplace in San Francisco? Neither did anybody else till at this time.
The playing firm primarily based in Boston issued a press launch asserting that it has opened a brand new workplace in northern California. It intends to open one other in Las Vegas, too.
The replace from DraftKings additionally highlights a couple of key personnel modifications, together with the acquisition of Frank Kunovic from his director-level place at Caesars.
In accordance with the press launch, the hirings are designed to “additional the momentum” of the newly launched DraftKings Sportsbook.
DraftKings staffing up
DraftKings’ plans for sportsbook betting started coming collectively publicly with the hiring of a brand new head of sportsbook in February. Sean Hurley has since moved into the enterprise growth aspect of issues, now figuring out of the Manhattan workplace.
Jamie Shea is the brand new head of the digital DraftKings Sportsbook platform. Shea comes from IGT by the use of a protracted stint in Vegas, which included escalating sportsbook roles at Flamingo, Venetian, Onerous Rock and Station Casinos. She’s now primarily based in Hoboken.
Kunovic will oversee the retail sportsbook operations, leaving the identical place at Caesars. He served because the director for as many as 20 Nevada sportsbooks and racebooks in his earlier position.
Co-founder Matt Kalish mentioned the bar for hiring expertise is “extraordinarily excessive” proper now.
…Our success in being first to market in New Jersey with cellular sportsbook betting is the direct results of our expert crew. I’m excited to welcome this new group of executives, whereas increasing the corporate to San Francisco and Las Vegas. Presence in these worldwide hubs of know-how and gaming, respectively, permits us entry to an incredible expertise pool and strengthens our place as leaders on this dynamic trade.
NY and NJ for DraftKings, too
The expanded crew has two present sportsbook betting partnership to handle for now. The primary is in New Jersey, the place the DraftKings Sportsbook went dwell final week beneath a take care of Resorts Atlantic Metropolis.
That NJ sportsbook betting deal is proscribed to an internet/cellular pores and skin, however Kunovic hopes to be spending extra time in New York going ahead. DraftKings has a retail deal in place to supply NY sportsbook betting at del Lago Resort & Online casino, if and when regulators transfer ahead with approval.
The competing FanDuel Sportsbook has standalone partnerships in three states, plus market-access offers in additional than a dozen others.
DraftKings spreading out
DraftKings is rising taller and broader on the identical time.
In accordance with the press launch, it plans to increase its Boston workforce by 75 % within the coming yr. The employees there’s slated to maneuver into a brand new 105,000-square-foot headquarters early subsequent yr. The group’s new workplace can be greater than twice the scale of the present one.
It’s not simply Boston, although. If these plans come to fruition, DraftKings could have workplaces in 5 US cities:
- Boston (headquarters)
- New York Metropolis
- Hoboken
- San Francisco
- Las Vegas
Right here’s extra on the brand new California employees from the press launch:
The newly established downtown San Francisco workplace can be house to a few of the firm’s progress advertising executives and their crew. This workplace will focus totally on constructing out a best-in-class progress advertising group, increasing the DraftKings digital model and driving buyer acquisition.
With a purpose to fund its ambitions, DraftKings is reportedly in search of to boost USD200 million at a USD1.5 billion valuation.