Andrew Vouris has been appointed the permanent CEO of Entain Australia & New Zealand (ANZ), having served as interim CEO since June this year.
Previous incumbent Dean Shannon stepped down on 30 June, agreeing it was time for change. Vouris was given the role on an interim basis while the process to appoint a permanent CEO commenced.
Vouris has now been given the role permanently after a global talent search. He brings with him 17 years of leadership experience in wagering, operations, and innovation.
Vouris spent nearly 10 years with Tabcorp, including a role as general manager of its wagering business, before serving as chief operating officer of Entain Esports between October 2021 and March 2024.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Vouris voiced his excitement at taking on the role of permanent CEO.
“I am grateful for this opportunity, and the responsibility that I have been given,” Vouris said.
“My priority is to embed a ‘win, but not at all costs’ culture and get back to the basics of selling bets. I will also be focusing on leading innovation in our sector while protecting our customers.”
Stella David, Entain group CEO, believes Vouris is the right man to lead the company’s ANZ business. She said of the appointment: “Andrew stood out as the right leader for Entain ANZ. His leadership as interim CEO has demonstrated his commitment to our people, our partners, and to building a sustainable, compliance-led and customer-focused culture. Andrew has made great progress since he arrived at Entain and I am very much looking forward to continuing working with him.”
**Entain ANZ ‘well-positioned for growth’**
Vouris’ permanent appointment comes at an interesting juncture for Entain ANZ, with ongoing legal proceedings in Australia and a new monopoly in New Zealand.
Entain reported a 7% year-on-year drop in Australian online revenue during its Q2 earnings. On the earnings call in August, David addressed its ongoing legal situation with Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (Austrac). Proceedings were initiated against Entain in December over “serious and systematic” non-compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws.
David said a £50 million ($67.4 million) balance-sheet provision in Entain’s Q2 earnings was an accounting entry, rather than a reserve set aside for a possible penalty from Austrac.
Mediation between the two parties is still ongoing, with no update on the proceedings forthcoming until those discussions have concluded.
**TAB NZ granted online betting monopoly in New Zealand**
More positive news for Entain in New Zealand saw its partner TAB NZ granted a monopoly over online sports and racing betting in June.
New legislation came into effect on 28 June and Entain has committed to injecting NZ$100 million ($58.5 million) into New Zealand’s racing sector. This comes after penning a 25-year partnership with TAB NZ in March 2023 to provide it with wagering, broadcast functions, and funding.
Further opportunity appears to be on the horizon, too, with New Zealand set to launch a liberalised online casino market in 2026. TAB NZ has already shown an interest in entering.
Vouris is enthused by the potential of Entain ANZ, explaining: “I am excited about the future of our business and while there is still much more to do, we are well positioned for growth.”
New permanent Entain ANZ CEO Andrew Vouris brings nearly two decades of experience in wagering, operations, and innovation to the role.