The DC Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) has appointed Frank Suarez as a new executive director after a District of Columbia Audit report concluded its sports betting app ‘failed to meet expectations.’
As reported in the Washington Business Post, Suarez, a former deputy executive communications director of the North Carolina Education Lottery, is tasked with revamping GambetDC, the app which received the criticism.
With a background in the lottery industry and a previous career in marketing, Suarez’s key issue is to change the perception and fortunes of the GambetDC app, which is falling behind its competitors and coming short in terms of revenue and market share.
GambetDC is managed by Intralot, but the lottery has been recommended by ODCA to offer improved odds, license more private sportsbooks and reduce expense payments to the management provider to improve its performance.
Revenues between May 2020 and March 2021 totalled just $1.8m despite forecasts expecting $6.2m in turnover.
Sources told the Washington Business Post that Suarez joined the lottery under the radar on August 30, following the departure of former executive Beth Bresnahan in February.
A spokesperson for OLG told the publication that Suarez’s appointment will be announced in due course whilst he begins his new role, which presents challenges. The spokesperson added that the appointment does not require council confirmation.
