Director of Tennessee’s new sports betting program leaves
Published 2:30 pm Tuesday, June 30, 2020
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NASHVILLE (AP) — The director of Tennessee’s new online-only sports betting program has left the post before the state’s first bets were placed.
Tennessee Lottery spokesman Dave Smith says Jennifer Roberts’ last day was Friday. She began last December.
Roberts tweeted last week she is joining video game gambling company GameCo.
Smith noted the lottery has hired Danielle Boyd as sports gaming operations vice president and Danny DiRienzo as sports gaming investigator.
Boyd headed government relations for William Hill U.S.
DiRienzo served as a Secret Service special agent for 22 years, where he investigated complex financial crimes.
Tennessee’s sports betting law passed narrowly in spring 2019. Republican Gov. Bill Lee let it become law without his signature, citing concerns over an expansion of gambling in Tennessee, a state without casinos.
Lottery officials approved sports betting rules in April, then began accepting applications for sportsbook operators and related vendors.
No operators have been approved yet. Four marketing affiliates have been approved.
