Online gambling used to be a boy’s club, but that’s changing. A recent study shows women are flocking to gambling sitesand betting apps more than ever. In addition to newcomers wanting to play more, female CEOS of professional online gambling competitors are killing it across the board. With more women in executive positions and winning big in casinos, it’s evident that there’s plenty of room for more than just men on the floor. Here are a few big names—businesswomen and poker champs alike—who are leading the way for their fellow women fighting to enter this typically male-dominated space.
Amy Howe, CEO of FanDuel
Amy Howe became the CEO of FanDuel in 2021. An online betting platform with a presence in all 50 states and over 12 million customers, FanDuel offers a sportsbook, daily fantasy sports, horse racing, and online casino options. As CEO, Howe oversees the strategic direction and performance of all these commercial enterprises. She’s no stranger to conducting business in the online entertainment sector, either. Before becoming CEO at FanDuel, Howe worked for Live Nation Entertainment, where she served as Global Chief Operating Officer of Ticketmaster. There, she was credited with modernizing the company’s ticketing platform and doubling its growth. She was featured in Billboard’s “Women in Music 2015: 50 Most Powerful Executives in the Industry” list. Howe holds a master’s in business administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University.
Vanessa Selbst, Professional Poker Player
Brooklyn native Vanessa Selbst is the only female poker player to ever rank at the top of the Global Poker Index. A Yale Law School graduate, Selbst has won nearly $12 million in live poker tournaments and coached for DeucesCracked, an online poker training site. From 2008 to 2014, Selbst won three World Series of Poker bracelets. She is the first woman to play in a Super High Roller event and is the only poker player to win back-to-back North American Poker Tour Main Event titles. Although Selbst retired from poker in 2018, she’s used her success to fund nonprofits and organizations she believes in.
Erika Nardini, CEO of Barstool Sports
Self-declared “digital disruptor” Barstool Sports has traditionally catered to a masculine audience. That’s why it’s so refreshing to see Erika Nardini serving as the company’s current CEO, a position she took over in 2016. Since then, she’s transformed a once-regional blog into an industry name with a notable social media presence. Barstool Sports worked with Penn National Gaming in 2020 to build Barstool Sportsbook, a significant online gaming company. Nardini spearheaded that lucrative and major partnership. At the time of the partnership, the company was valued at $650 million. In just the seven years she’s worked as CEO, Barstool has launched more than 60 brands. Nardini ranked among Forbes’ “Most Powerful Women in US Sports” list in 2018. She also serves on the board of the WWE, Torchy’s Tacos, and the Premier Lacrosse League.
Anna Sainsbury, CEO of GeoComply
The regulations surrounding online gambling are complex, but Anna Sainsbury’s company GeoComply makes it significantly more straightforward and secure. GeoComply provides the necessary geo-location tracking software that online gambling providers must use by law. Sainsbury founded the company in 2011 and served as the CEO until 2018. She took a break from her role but returned to the position in 2022. Since its early days, GeoComply has grown from 60 to 500 employees worldwide. We can thank Sainsbury and her innovative thinking for helping online gambling run smoothly, especially in the States! In addition to serving as CEO, Sainsbury sits on the board of the American Gaming Association and has received awards recognizing her success in building a global cybersecurity company.
Kristen Bicknell, Professional Poker Player
Canadian poker player Kristen Bicknell began playing online poker in 2006. Her claim to fame lies in the sheer volume of hands she plays online. Bicknell hit Supernova Elite status on PokerStars three years in a row, from 2011 to 2013. In order to do so, she had to play about 2.5 million hands per year! She earned $173,922 at the Ladies No Limit Hold’em Championship during the 2013 World Series of Poker. Since then, her star has been on the rise. With two bracelets already in her possession, she recently won a third at the World Series of Poker $2,500 No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed event during 2020’s online series. Recent stats indicate Bicknell has cashed in over $5 million during her career.
Jette Nygaard-Andersen, CEO of Entain
Jette Nygaard-Andersen heads Entain, one of Europe’s top sports betting and gaming groups. She took on the role in 2020 while serving on the board of directors, after the company lost two CEOs in the space of just one year. Operating both online and in retail across many countries, Entain encompasses over 30 brands across global markets, making Nygaard-Andersen’s job uniquely challenging. Some of the most recognized gambling companies under Nygaard-Andersen include PartyPoker, BetMGM, and Borgata. She’s also the first female CEO of a UK-listed gambling company. Nygaard-Anderson has a master’s degree from the University of Copenhagen.
Denise Coates, CEO of Bet365
Denise Coates grew up in the world of storefront gambling shops. Her father, Peter Coates, bought three betting shops that eventually grew into the Provincial Racing chain. As a university student, Coates worked at the cashiers’ department of the family company and continued as an accountant post-graduation. As the world started to go increasingly online, Coates purchased the URL bet635.com and launched the betting site in 2001. Today, Bet365 is a leading online gambling brand found on almost every online casino list, and Coates has an estimated net worth of $7 billion. Coates also founded a charitable foundation dedicated to funding health and well-being, education, medical research and development, and more.
