Former General Counsel to the Illinois Lottery, Melissa Riahei, appointed president of US division of sports betting and gaming tech supplier SBTech.
Sports betting and gaming technology supplier SBTech has appointed Melissa Riahei as President of SBTech US.
Riahei is a lottery and gaming industry veteran and will oversee and lead the US business, focusing on expanding the group’s US infrastructure to support SBTech’s existing customer and establish a presence in more states.
Commenting on her appointment, Riahei said:
“I’m thrilled to join SBTech at such momentous time in our industry. As legalized sports betting rapidly takes root across the nation, I look forward to leading SBTech’s US expansion, establishing our operational footprint in new states, and contributing our global expertise to the growth and success of this emerging market,
“SBTech has already seen great success here through our valued partnerships with Churchill Downs, Golden Nugget, Resorts and most recently – the Oregon Lottery. We plan to build on that success and solidify SBTech’s position as a market leading supplier in the US.”
While CEO of SBTech, Richard Carter, welcomed her to the company, saying:
“We are delighted to have Melissa on board leading our US business, as we assemble a world-class team to steer us into the next chapter of the company’s growth. Melissa is an extremely talented executive, with a rare blend of business, legal and political acumen and a varied breadth of experience across all sectors in gaming,
“I’m confident that she will serve as a great leader for our US team on the ground and our partners. This appointment demonstrates our continual commitment to the US market by providing dedicated leadership of our US teams to support our partners’ ambitions.”
Riahei has more than two decades of experience, including roles at the highest levels of state government. She has served as Deputy Chief Counsel to the Office of the Governor of Illinois, managed a $2 billion annual gaming enterprise as General Counsel to the Illinois Lottery, and served in executive roles at online gaming and horse race wagering companies.
As General Counsel to the Illinois Lottery, Riahei was one of the driving forces leading the challenge to the US Department of Justice’s federal prohibition of online gambling under the Wire Act. Her efforts on behalf of Illinois, in conjunction with those of the New Yok Lottery, led to the 2011 DOJ decision allowing states to legalise and regulate most forms of online gambling.
Non-executive chairman of SB Tech, Gavin Isaacs, also welcome Melissa to the company, saying:
“Melissa has made valuable contributions to the advancement of our industry and will be a great asset to SBTech as we grow and cement our US presence and leverage the unprecedented opportunities that lie ahead. We’re excited to have Melissa joining our team, and I look forward to working with her.”
