The Australian sportsbook operator PointsBet has announced its appointment of Chantal Cipriano as the company’s new vice president, legal, compliance, and people for its Canadian division.
Cipriano’s appointment comes after the online operator hired Canadian gaming industry veteran Nic Sulsky to support its ongoing expansion into Canada.
A new hire for PointsBet
Cipriano, an accomplished lawyer and University of New Hampshire professor, will now join PointsBet from Mazooma where she was senior director of legal and compliance.
PointsBet’s new team member is also a published author of the Canada chapter for LexisNexis’ Gaming Law and Practice Book, Chambers and Partners’ Gaming, Gambling and Licensing Practice Guide for Canada.
Last month, PointsBet hired Sulsky to take on the role of chief commercial officer for PointsBet’s Canadian operations. Cipriano will now join former Monkey Knife Fight (MKF) president Nic Sulsky to lead PointsBet’s expansion into Canada.
Speaking on the appointment, Cipriano said: “With the legalisation of single-event sports betting in Canada, PointsBet sits at the forefront of one of the most exciting new gaming market opportunities in our country.
“With its innovative business model and talented leadership teams in Australia, Ireland, the United States, and now Canada, we are collectively committed to building a company that captures this market opportunity, creates a brand that strongly resonates with Canadian consumers, and ultimately, a diverse company that the Canadian executive team can be proud to lead. The sports betting landscape will evolve at a rapid pace in Canada, and I look forward to assisting PointsBet navigate that evolution as the company continues to scale.”
Johnny Aitken, PointsBet USA CEO said: “Equipping the PointsBet team with best-in-class talent to realize best-in-class execution has always been our mandate, and we are excited today to take an additional stride in that respect for PointsBet Canada, adding Chantal Cipriano – a terrific leader with deep industry expertise.
“Chantal joins Nic Sulsky, PointsBet Canada’s recently appointed Chief Commercial Officer, as just our second of many talented, authentic Canadian hires to come as we work to ensure our Canadian leadership team understands, represents, and appropriately connects with the local sports environment and its distinct, passionate fanbase.”
The new appointment comes after a bill that would bring single-event sports betting to Canada received royal assent.
Sports betting in Canada
Last month, Bill C-128, also known as the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act, received Royal Assent.
The new law seeks to repeal paragraph 207(4)(b) of Canada’s Criminal Code to permit single-event sports betting.
Now that the bill is an official act, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau must set an effective date for the Canada sports betting amendment to come into effect.
Prior to receiving Royal Assent, the bill passed a third reading in the Senate with a vote of 57-20. Prior to this, the bill made it through the House of Commons after a third reading in April.
Under Canada’s Criminal Code, sports wagering is only legal when a wager is placed on three or more games at a time, meaning that betting on single events is illegal.
Bill C-218 will now repeal this section of the Criminal Code to permit legal wagering on individual sporting events.