Sports betting solutions provider OpenBet has appointed former British Columbia Lottery Corporation director Stewart Groumoutis as its new vice president of commercial for Canada.

Groumoutis will be tasked with helping OpenBet secure new commercial opportunities in Canada as the business seeks to expand its presence in the country. OpenBet already has a significant Canadian, serving as the principal technology partner of provincial lottery corporations such as BCLC, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), Atlantic Lottery, and Loto-Québec.

However, with the country’s online gaming and sports betting market changing rapidly and drastically, Groumoutis’ remit will be to help OpenBet capitalize on the size of the opportunity at hand.

Groumoutis joins OpenBet’s senior management team after a decade with the BCLC, where he most recently served as director of eGaming and has also held roles including senior manager for eCasino and platform operations, as well as manager for casino products and player development.

“During my time with BCLC, I was exceedingly impressed by OpenBet’s ability to maximize operational value delivery, while also maintaining a strong focus on the future and innovation in the industry,” Groumoutis said in a press release. “North America is in the planning or early stages of growth in most states and provinces, and operators are looking for not just vendors but real partners to help them succeed.”

OpenBet chief commercial officer Cathryn Lai added: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Stewart to the team. He understands the culture and best practices of OpenBet, which is hugely beneficial as we look to power more sportsbooks with our unrivalled technology, content and services across North America, including Canada Over the coming months, we anticipate increased commercial activity as demand for our products and services continues to grow.”

OpenBet now operates as an arm of Endeavor Group, having previously served as the sports betting division of Light & Wonder (formerly Scientific Games).

In January, it appointed former executives of DAZN and the American Gaming Association to its senior management team with a view to strengthening the quality of its worldwide offerings.