Allwyn has named former Playtech exec Francesco Rodano as the pan-European lottery and gaming giant’s new group head of responsible gaming.
Rodano announced his departure from London-listed Playtech in August after more than 10 years of service.
Having initially joined as chief policy officer in May 2016, Rodano was named chief sustainable gambling officer in January 2025.
During his time at Playtech, Rodano took ownership of the supplier’s BetBuddy analytics platform, which scans real-time player behaviour to identify risks.
Allwyn’s former group head of responsible gaming, Nicole Garrett, left the business earlier this year.
Garrett, a former bet365 head, joined The Bingo Association as the trade body’s CEO.
Allwyn runs the UK National Lottery as well as several other European lotteries on the continent.
The business also holds a majority stake in US DFS and prediction markets platform PrizePicks, owns 100% of OPAP and has a 36.75% stake in Betano.
Allwyn said it was a company that was “committed to a proactive, world-class approach to player safety”.
The Greek-listed entity also runs the Allwyn Player Protection Lab, a scheme whereby applicants bid for up to €100,000 in funding for research projects linked to new approaches to player safety.
The project launched in September 2025 and awarded two grants in July. The successful recipients were academic Dr Michael Auer and Newton University.
Auer, a psychologist and statistician, is testing the efficacy of personalised messages to encourage safer gambling behaviour.
Newton University, one of the leading universities in Czechia, will use the funds to create a “Safer Gambling Assessment Tool (SGAT) tailored to Gen Z’s digital behaviours”.
Rodano said: “I am privileged to be joining Allwyn and to build on the strong responsible gaming platform the company has already put in place across its markets.
“Player protection is something I live and breathe and I look forward to implementing that passion at scale across Allwyn.”
Robert Chvátal, Allwyn CEO, added: “As Allwyn expands its global presence, being responsible isn’t just how we approach business, it is a key part of who we are and our long-term strength.
“From how we partner, hire and innovate to how we make games safer, we embed integrity and care across everything we do.
“Francesco’s appointment and the experience he brings are another clear commitment to that philosophy, and I am delighted to welcome him to Allwyn.”
Chvátal and CFO Kenneth Morton sat down with EGR last month to discuss Allwyn’s H1 performance, its investment in Betano and its plans for a secondary listing in London or New York.
Arnold Ash is EGR’s executive recruitment partner. It supports ambitious organisations to identify and attract industry leading executive talent. Find out more here.
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Francesco Rodano joins the UK National Lottery operator after more than a decade with Playtech, where he led work on the supplier’s BetBuddy tool
The post Former Playtech exec becomes Allwyn’s head of responsible gaming first appeared on EGR Intel.