Tabcorp announces the appointment of Michael Fitzsimons as chief wagering officer
The role of chief wagering officer was created last December.
Australia.- Tabcorp has announced the appointment of Michael Fitzsimons as chief wagering officer. Fitzsimons is expected to start in the role in the first half of 2025 subject to regulatory approval.
Fitzsimons will oversee all core wagering functions including digital, retail, tote, trading, product and marketing. The new role was created last December as part of the company’s evolved executive leadership team structure. According to Tabcorp, “the simpler structure will ensure all wagering functions will fall under one executive”.
Fitzsimons has more than 20 years of experience in sports betting across Europe, the United States and Asia. He joined Tabcorp after four years as executive director of wagering at the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) where he oversaw strategy, trading, marketing, data and product development for fixed odds, parimutuel and lottery offerings.
His responsibilities at the HKJC included managing one of the world’s largest totes, including the World Pool platform, along with Risk Management of China Sports Lottery’s 120,000 betting branches.
Before joining HKJC, Fitzsimons served as the director of international trading and operations at The Stars Group. During that period, he played a key role in launching the PokerStars Sportsbook and successfully rebranded SkyBet in Germany and Italy. Fitzsimons is also part of the executive committee of the World Tote Association (WoTA).
Tabcorp managing director and chief executive officer elect, Gillon McLachlan, said: “Michael Fitzsimons is one of the world’s most sought-after wagering executives and brings extensive global sports betting experience to Tabcorp. He has a deep knowledge of international sports betting, trading and tote. Michael is a rare find – he knows digital and retail wagering and is one of the few people in the world who can connect both to grow a wagering product.
“The creation of a Chief Wagering Officer is a significant uplift in wagering capability within our executive team. The simpler vertical structure brings all levers that grow wagering together under one executive to ensure first-class execution.”
