PointsBet Canada names former Bally’s Interactive staffer as new head of casino
Ex-Bally’s and British Columbia Lottery Corporation exec Brooke Hilton links up with Australia-headquartered operator’s Canadian division
PointsBet Canada has appointed former Bally’s Interactive US igaming product director Brooke Hilton as its new head of casino for the Canadian market.
Hilton is no stranger to the Canadian market, having spent six years in various online gambling-related roles for the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC).
Linking up with Bally’s Interactive in March 2021 as a senior product manager in charge of online casino, Hilton played a part in the team which oversaw the launch of the Bally’s online casino brand in the US.
In February 2022, she transitioned to the role of director, igaming product for the US market, a role she would occupy until January 2023.
A brief stint in the B2B sector as a business development director for Ingenuity Gaming followed, before Hilton set up her own igaming consultancy in August this year.
Hilton took to LinkedIn to express her happiness at her new role.
“It is with immense joy that I announce the beginning of my journey as the head of casino at PointsBet!” she wrote.
“Having dedicated myself to the Canadian igaming industry for the past 10+ years, I’m absolutely thrilled to align my passion with a company as influential as PointsBet Canada.
“I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Scott Vanderwel, Nic Sulsky, and Chantal Cipriano for the warm welcome and the trust you’ve placed in me as I take on this exciting and formative chapter of our business,” the post added.
Hilton’s new duties include leading PointsBet Canada’s casino growth strategy, while at the same time overseeing day-to-day operations and serving as a champion of the overall Canadian business.
In her new role as head of casino, Hilton will report directly to PointsBet Canada CEO Scott Vanderwel.
The appointment comes at a crucial time for the business, following the sale of PointsBet US to Fanatics Betting and Gaming in August for $225m.
In its first set of financial results since the sale of the business, PointsBet reported strong growth in the Canadian division during Q1 of its fiscal year 2024, with triple-digit year-on-year (YOY) percentage increases in all key financial metrics.
Canadian total net win rocketed 212% YOY to A$5.4m in Q1 FY2024, with growth across igaming and sports betting net win.
Canadian sports betting net win jumped 440% YOY to A$2.3m, buoyed by a 111% rise in sportsbook turnover/handle, which rose to A$44.2m. PointsBet’s Canadian igaming division saw a 136% YOY increase in its net win which rose to A$3m in Q1 FY2024.
The percentage of PointsBet Canada’s sportsbook handle generated from in-play bets grew to 68% in Q1 FY2024, up from 59% in the previous period, while gross win margin improved to 8.3% off the back of improved parlay betting numbers.
Cash active client numbers rose 8% in Canada to 32,864 in Q1 FY2024, with Canadian marketing expense shrinking 7% YOY to C$5.1m over the same period.