MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS
In June 2023, PointsBet agreed the sale of its US operations to Fanatics for $225m. It agreed that it will retain its Australian and Canadian businesses.
At the beginning of 2023, PointsBet announced a new show that would focus on the NBA and college basketball - ‘Count It’.
In April 2022, when PointsBet released its Q3 FY2022 results, the report showed a 70% increase in US sports betting handle, from AU$482m ($342m) to AU$818.6m. This increase was directly related to the company’s recent extension within the North American market.
Throughout 2022, the company focused on expanding into the North American markets. By April, its online sportsbook had gone live in ten US states plus Ontario, while its gaming branch had gone live in four US states as well as in the Canadian province of Ontario.
In 2021, PointsBet purchased an Irish business, Banach Technology, expanding and accelerating the company’s in-play branch.
AWARDS
In 2022, while under Swanell’s leadership, PointsBet was shortlisted for the Global Gaming Awards for ‘Digital Operator of the Year’ and ‘Product Innovation of the Year.’
EMPLOYMENT
Before he collaborated with PointsBet, Swanell served as Conturion Solutions’ Executive for almost three and a half years. Between August 2013 and July 2016, he used and improved his gaming expertise while serving as a Wagering and Gaming Consultant for MyCo.
In 2009, he was appointed Tom Waterhouse’s CEO and spent a little over four years in that position.
During his long career, Swanell also served as the National Sales Manager for Tote Tasmania, the Business Development Manager for Lifeplan Funds Management and spent almost three years working at AXA as a Transition Manager, and as a Manager in charge of Client Communications and Assistance.
Between October 1999 and October 2022, he worked with the Macquarie Bank in Australia, where he held two positions: National Service Manager and Manager of Investor Services.
“We built a lot of our quants models and algorithms based on US sports. It was great for our Australian business but put us in a strong position to launch in the US – that’s been a strength from day one.” Sam Swanell
Interviews and public speeches
At the beginning of 2022, Swanell sat with Gambling Insider and talked about the Australian market, its local consumers and more.
