Fanatics Betting and Gaming has named Alex Smith as its new chief legal officer, alongside Sara Tait as its SVP and head of legal for regulated industries.
Smith first joined Fanatics in 2021 as VP of legal and regulatory compliance, moving to the operator from FanDuel.
In March 2024, he was promoted to SVP of legal and regulatory compliance at Fanatics.
In his new position of chief legal officer, Smith will report to CEO Matt King and will be tasked with leading the operator’s legal, regulatory, compliance and government affairs strategy.
Commenting on Smith’s promotion, King said: “Alex was one of our first hires and he helped build our legal and regulatory apparatus that has allowed us to launch products rapidly in legal sports betting, icasino and prediction markets.
“As we continue to grow, Alex is the perfect person to lead our legal and regulatory functions into the future.”
Meanwhile, Tait, arriving from law firm Duane Morris where she spent a little under a 18 months as a partner, previously had a 10-year stay with the Indiana Gaming Commission from August 2011 to September 2021.
Making her way up from staff attorney to executive director with the regulator, Tait will report to Smith and be in charge of developing and managing Fanatics’ relationship with state and federal regulators.
She will also serve as legal counsel to the operator’s regulated gaming and market products.
On Tait’s appointment, Smith said: “Sara is a well respected former gaming regulator who also has experience in the private sector, making her the ideal choice to lead critical legal and regulatory efforts.
“The legal and regulatory landscape for sports betting, icasino and prediction markets are constantly changing, and having someone that has been on both sides of the regulatory landscape will be invaluable to us as we continue our growth trajectory.”
At the end of 2025, Fanatics rolled out its prediction markets offering, Fanatics Markets, through its partnership with Crypto.com — launching in 24 jurisdictions including California, Delaware, Maine, Rhode Island and Texas.
Event contracts are currently facing scrutiny from US regulators, with states including Tennessee and Connecticut issuing cease-and-desist orders to platforms Polymarket and Kalshi.
Earlier this month, Polymarket failed in its attempt to overturn a temporary restraining order in Michigan.
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The post Fanatics appoints duo to bolster its legal team first appeared on EGR Intel.
Operator promotes Alex Smith to chief legal officer, while Sara Tait arrives with a decade’s experience at the Indiana Gaming Commission
The post Fanatics appoints duo to bolster its legal team first appeared on EGR Intel.