Meet the 22 power players leading the explosion of the US sports betting space
- Business Insider is recognizing the early leaders who who are capitalizing on legal sports betting in the US.
- We are highlighting 22 power players, based on a mixture of reporting, nominations from readers, and conversations with industry experts.
- The list includes execs from media companies like Barstool Sports, betting platforms like Fox Bet, major US sports leagues, daily-fantasy-sports companies DraftKings and FanDuel, and other tech and gaming companies.
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Gaming, media, and tech companies are vying to corner pieces of the burgeoning sports betting market in the US, 18 months after the Supreme Court lifted a federal ban on sports wagering in the country.
More US states have moved to legalize sports gambling since the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was struck down. While some US companies are still figuring out how to profit off sports betting sector, one consulting firm estimated that sports wagering could generate $19 billion in revenue by 2023, including direct gaming revenue and advertising, sponsorship, and affiliate dollars tied to gaming businesses.
With this inaugural list, Business Insider is recognizing the early leaders who are capitalizing on legal sports betting in the US.
These power players are pushing the industry forward: They are launching sportsbooks, growing the audience for sports betting, reimagining sports broadcasts and other programming for gamblers, and crafting new betting formats.
Methodology
We relied on a mix of our own reporting, nominations from readers, and industry experts to narrow down the finalists. We chose them based on the breadth of their roles and responsibilities, scope of the changes introduced, and impact on the sports betting space broadly.
The list includes executives from many corners of the sports betting ecosystem: including representatives from the major sports leagues, media execs, and traditional and up-and-coming gaming companies.
However, the sports betting industry is still taking shape in the US, and leaders are emerging or expanding their footprints in the country every day.
The power players are listed in alphabetical order, by company.