CGA President Paul Burns to be inducted into Sports Betting Hall of Fame
The President and CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association, Paul Burns, will be one of four industry leaders inducted into the Sports Betting Hall of Fame for 2022.
Burns is the first Canadian to be named to the Sports Betting Hall of Fame and will be officially inducted at a special ceremony at Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment in East Rutherford, NJ on Wednesday, July 13, 2022 as part of the SBC Summit North America 2022, which is scheduled for July 12-14 in New Jersey.
“The induction was a surprise,” Burns told US Bets. “It was great they reached across the border to recognize a Canadian and I am grateful and very appreciative of the recognition.”
Alongside Burns will be Chris Andrews, Sports Book Director of South Point Hotel, Casino, & Spa in Las Vegas; Sandy Drozd, Vice Presiden of USBookmaking; and Vinny Magliulo, Vice President of the Las Vegas Dissemination Company & Sports Book Director at Gaughan Gaming.
The Sports Betting Hall of Fame was established to recognize the achievements and outstanding contributions of the pioneers who have made a long-lasting mark on the industry. The criteria include individuals who have long experience in the industry as a significant and responsible figure in promoting the sports betting industry, and who have had a prominent role in promoting the public’s awareness and appreciation of the importance of sports betting.
Burns’ induction recognizes, among other career achievements, his prominent role in the ongoing reform of Canada’s sports betting and iGaming industry, within which the opening of Canada’s first regulated private online gaming and betting market in Ontario last month was a key landmark.
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Burns’ longtime CGA colleague Amanda Brewer, a gaming consultant who is now Canada’s country manager for Kindred Group, called the induction “well-deserved” and emphasized there are many who owe him their thanks for helping to create the opportunity to legalize single-event sports betting in Canada.
Sue Schneider, SBC’s Vice President of Growth and Strategy, Americas, said: “As the industry enjoys substantial growth in multiple U.S. states and Canada, the Sports Betting Hall of Fame ceremony is an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of some of the trailblazers who have helped to make the current success possible.”
The new inductees expand the North American representation in the Sports Betting Hall of Fame, as they join the likes of class of 2019 members Art Manteris (retired VP of Race and Sports Book Operations at Station Casinos) and Dennis Drazin (CEO of Monmouth Park), 2020 inductees Victor Salerno (President of USBookmaking & US Fantasy Sports) and Sara Slane (former Sr. VP of the American Gaming Association), and last year’s nominees including Yolanda Acuña (former Director of Administration at MGM Resorts) and Joe Asher (President of Sports Betting at IGT & former CEO, William Hill US).