FanDuel completes BeyondPlay acquisition as startup's CEO named VP
Flutter-owned US market leader adds to online casino capabilities with jackpot and multiplayer supplier, with Karolina Pelc named VP of the brand within FanDuel Casino
FanDuel has named BeyondPlay founder Karolina Pelc as a vice-president after completing the acquisition of the jackpot and multiplayer gaming supplier.
The acquisition, which was first announced in February, saw the US giant snap up the three-year-old brand to deliver further gains for its online casino arm.
Pelc, who had led the business as CEO, alongside former William Hill head Jacqui Gatt as COO, will now serve as VP of BeyondPlay at FanDuel.
When the deal was confirmed in February, FanDuel Casino MD Asaf Noifeld said he was excited to add the experienced BeyondPlay team to FanDuel, although no roles were announced at the time.
Taking to LinkedIn, Pelc said: “There is something pretty special to see the brand name you once came up with, with no fancy marketing agencies but just pen, paper and your dreams of ‘what could be’, to now feature in your job title, working for one of the most influential gaming companies in the world and the number one gaming operator in the US.”
Pelc, a former LeoVegas and SG Digital head, established BeyondPlay in 2021 and has grown the business to a team of 40 staff.
The supplier’s flagship products come in the shape of a jackpot management system and social gaming product.
The jackpot tool allows operators to develop “highly customised” jackpot campaigns with the social gaming tool allowing multiple players to take part in the same online casino session.
FanDuel and, by extension, its parent company Flutter, will be hoping BeyondPlay will be able to push its online gaming operations to the next level in the US.
According to Flutter’s Q1 trading update, FanDuel Casino was the number one online casino brand in the market, with a GGR market share of 27% in the first three months of the year.
The FanDuel Casino division also reported a 34% year-on-year jump in active monthly players, while revenue was up 49% to $358m (£281.8m).
FanDuel is currently live in five US states – New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Virginia and Connecticut – accounting for around 11.5% of the US population.
Elsewhere, Flutter completed its transition to having its primary share listing on the New York Stock Exchange last week; a further sign of its commitment to the US opportunity.
Arnold Ash is EGR’s Executive Recruitment Partner. They support ambitious organisations to identify and attract industry leading executive talent. Find out more here.