THE CANADIAN GAMING ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES ELECTION OF NEW BOARD MEMBERS

The Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) announced the appointment of five new members of the Association’s Board of Directors, which took place during the CGA’s Annual General Meeting on December 7, 2022.

Bruce Caughill

Bruce Caughill is Managing Director (Canada) for Rush Street Interactive, a trusted online gaming and sports entertainment company through its BetRivers.com brand. Prior to this role, Mr. Caughill served as Chief Legal Officer with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and before that was the VP Legal and Chief Compliance Officer with the Niagara Casinos, Canada’s largest commercial casino operation. Bruce brings almost 25 years of executive experience in the Canadian gaming industry.

Mark Harper

Mark Harper has been the GM at NS Sports for 5 years and is a 25+ year digital media veteran, with experience in local news, sports and entertainment and digital media agency work in Nova Scotia, with experience in digital sales, ad operations and digital marketing. At NS Sports Media, he helps to fuel thriving sports betting communities through the leading brands of Covers.com, SportsBookReview.com and ProSportsDaily.com. These brands collectively reach 25M+ consumers and focus on the North American sports betting markets.

Charmaine Hogan

Charmaine Hogan, Head of Regulatory Affairs at Playtech, has several years of experience in the gambling industry. Previously having worked on EU legislation and policy development in Brussels, both on behalf of the government and at the European Commission, she led discussions with the European gambling regulators. Now focusing on emerging and regulating markets, her regulatory experienced is shared in engaging with policy-makers and stakeholders and providing regulatory development advice to the business at Playtech.

Dale Hooper

Dale Hooper is the General Manager of FanDuel Canada. A dynamic leader driven by passion, creativity, and a relentless determination to win, his ambition, love for sports, and 20+ years of leadership experience have allowed him to lead FanDuel’s expansion into Canada with major success, building a team and unparalleled partnerships in a new market. He is responsible for all aspects of the Canadian business including strategy, operations, marketing and commercial realtionships. Prior to joining FanDuel, his career has spanned leadership and C-Suite roles with Rogers Communications, PepsiCo Canada, and CCI (Cannabis Compliance Inc), driving growth and innovation across industries. Dale has previously served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, St Joseph’s Hospital Foundation and Canadian Sports Institute Ontario.

Niaz Nejad

Niaz Nejad is Senior Vice President and Head of Marketing for U.S. and Canada at Aristocrat Gaming. She leads the overall brand and marketing strategy, execution, and business performance, responsible for infusing innovation and creativity throughout. Prior to Aristocrat, Niaz was the Chief Operating Officer for the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission, establishing the company’s provincial gaming and cannabis strategic direction, corporate portfolio, digital transformation, and revenue forecasts. She was accountable for sustaining over $1.4 billion in annual-net revenues from slot machines, video lottery terminals, electronic bingo, and lottery tickets through policy and gaming product development, and marketing. With over 25 years of leadership experience across high-performance industries including IT, retail, banking, cannabis, and gambling, Niaz has a proven track record of success for driving double-digit growth and delivering on behalf of the business for customers.

Scott Vanderwel

Scott Vanderwel has led PointsBet Canada as CEO since August 2021, spearheading the company’s steadfast commitment to bring Canadian sports fans a legal, safe, and reliable sportsbook with best-in-class customer experience.  Prior to PointsBet, Vanderwel served as Senior Vice President for Rogers Communications, where he oversaw corporate strategy, operational improvement, and digital operations, and prior to that, led the Canadian practice for a global business strategy consultancy called Monitor Group, which was later acquired by Deloitte.  A graduate of the HBA Program at the Ivey Business School at Western University, Vanderwel is the former chair of the Ivey Alumni Network Board and a current member of the Ivey Advisory Network Board. Outside of work, his passions include cycling, running, and especially skiing.

“Given this unprecendted time of growth in the Canadian gaming industry, the CGA Board of Directors has been amplified by five new members,” said Ilkim Hincer, Chair of the Board. “Increased representation is important to ensure that the work of the board reflects the diverse needs of Canadian gaming. I look forward to continued collaboration with the board as we work together to shape a progressive environment that enables this industry to succeed.”

“We welcome to Charmaine, Bruce, Niaz, Mark, Dale, and Scott to the CGA board and believe their experience will help the Association launch its new strategic plan to guide our growth and development over the next several years,” said Paul Burns, President and CEO of the CGA. ” Their subject matter expertise and professional skill set make them ideally suited to lead the CGA at this exceptional time, as we are evolving our way of working to meet the needs and be of service to our members, while driving our mission forward.”

Several board members are leaving due to term limits expiring. The CGA would like to thank David Flinn, Bob Parente, and George Sweny for their contributions to the Association and the Canadian gaming industry overall.  We are pleased that both George and Bob have agreed to continue to serve the CGA Board in different capacities moving forward.