Sportsbet CEO Barni Evans is to be replaced by COO Doug Brown as part of a leadership reshuffle at the Flutter-owned, Australian sports betting operator.
Evans is set to take on an expanded position with parent company Flutter Entertainment as its CEO of APAC and emerging markets segment.
The shift will take place on 1 June. Flutter’s APAC division includes Sportsbet and Junglee Games in India.
Flutter had to drop real-money gaming in India last August after the government there implemented a wide-ranging ban on the once-booming industry.
Flutter (then Paddy Power) acquired 51% of Sportsbet in 2009 before taking full control of the business in December 2010.
Evans spent more than 14 years at Sportsbet, joining as a marketing director in September 2011 before a promotion to chief commercial officer in October 2016 and then CEO in March 2018.
Prior to that, Evans was director of marketing at Paddy Power from 2001 until February 2012.
During his time with the business, he helped turn Sportsbet into a market leader in Australia as it competed against the likes of Tabcorp, bet365 and Ladbrokes.
However, the Australian market has witnessed continued softness. In Q1 2026, APAC revenue at Flutter fell 3%, although this was mainly due to the Junglee Games issue. Sportsbet revenue rose 2% in the reporting period.
Bosses said: “This was driven by an improvement in net revenue margin of 60 basis points due to a positive swing in sports results, offsetting a decline in handle of 4% primarily driven by greyhound softness in racing.”
Brown joined Sportsbet December 2015, serving in several roles including two separate stints as chief product officer.
The former Mediabank exec has also served as chief growth officer during his time with the Melbourne-based business. He became COO in September 2024.
Evans said: “Doug is the right person to lead the next phase as CEO. He knows the business inside out and has played a major role in getting us to where we are today.
“I look forward to remaining closely connected to the business while taking on this broader role across APAC and emerging markets.”
On his promotion, Brown added: “Sportsbet is a dynamic business with smart people and a lot of momentum, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead the business in its next phase.
“My focus is simple – keep improving the experience for our customers, bringing excitement to life, and making the most of the opportunities in front of us.”
The reshuffle comes after Flutter promoted chief product officer Rosangela Robbiani into the newly created role of chief public affair officer at its Southern Europe and Africa division.
Robbiani will be replaced by ex-Goldbet CEO Paola Bausano.
In its US division, Amy Howe was recently succeeded as CEO by Christian Genetski, while International CEO Dan Taylor took on a secondary role as Flutter president.
In April, the Australian government unveiled gambling reforms that include limits on how many ads can be aired per hour, along with a blanket ban during live sports broadcasts.
The leadership shakeups at Flutter come at a time when the business is facing pressure from prediction markets in the US and regulatory headwinds in the UK, the result being the company’s shares have plunged nearly 60% in 2026.
Certain hedge funds have generated paper profits of more than $2bn shorting Flutter stock so far this year.
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The post Flutter appoints new Sportsbet CEO in APAC shakeup first appeared on EGR Intel.
COO Doug Brown made new CEO of leading Australia operator, as departing boss Barni Evans takes expanded role covering APAC and emerging markets with parent company
The post Flutter appoints new Sportsbet CEO in APAC shakeup first appeared on EGR Intel.