FanDuel Set to Name Interim CEO as Its Permanent Leader
FanDuel has decided who will be its new permanent CEO, Front Office Sports has learned.
Christian Genetski, who took over on a temporary basis after former CEO Amy Howe was pushed out in May, is being appointed CEO of the company, effective Jan. 1. The news was delivered to Flutter Entertainment employees in an email from Flutter CEO Dan Taylor that was obtained by FOS (Flutter is the parent company of FanDuel).
“Christian has done a fantastic job leading FanDuel on an interim basis,” the email says. “He knows the business inside out, has been part of its growth from the beginning, and understands the team and the opportunities ahead. Making the appointment permanent gives FanDuel continuity at an important point in its growth and means the team can keep building on the progress already made.”
Taylor himself is new in his current role, having taken over as Flutter CEO on Oct. 1 after Peter Jackson stepped down. Prior to becoming Flutter CEO, Taylor was CEO of the company’s international division.
It was not clear exactly when the company will announce Genetski as its permanent CEO. Flutter’s third-quarter earnings are scheduled to be released this Wednesday. Genetski did not speak during the company’s previous earnings call in August. He did share some thoughts in a LinkedIn post at the time, writing that the second quarter “reinforced something we already knew: when the sporting calendar is at its best, our customers show up.”
“We executed exceptionally well through the FIFA World Cup and NBA Finals, delivering great experiences during two of the biggest moments on the sports calendar,” Genetski wrote. “That performance gives us confidence to increase investment in the second half of the year as we continue strengthening our products and extending our leadership position.”
When he took over on a temporary basis in May, Genetski praised Howe in an email to FanDuel employees that FOS obtained, saying the company had “risen to new heights across every measurable metric” under her leadership.
“Periods of transition can be difficult to wrap your head around,” Genetski added.
It was not clear what Genetski’s compensation package will be as he assumes the CEO title on a permanent basis. For fiscal 2025, Howe earned a base salary of about $1.06 million, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing; her total compensation for that year, including stock awards and other incentives, was almost $9 million, down from $11.6 million the prior year.
Genetski has been with FanDuel for nearly 12 years. His past titles have included chief commercial officer and chief legal officer.
A representative for FanDuel declined to comment.
The Business Genetski Will Lead
Genetski’s appointment comes during a turbulent time for both FanDuel and the larger sports betting industry. Flutter stock is down almost 60% year-to-date, although it’s been up a little more than 16% over the last month. DraftKings has also faced stock pressure; its stock is down more than 36% year-to-date.
Late last year, FanDuel launched a prediction-market platform in response to significant competition from the likes of Kalshi and Polymarket. Last week, FanDuel stopped allowing Utah users of FanDuel Predicts to trade on sports, politics, and novelty event contracts after the state filed felony criminal charges against Kalshi.
FanDuel has separately been engaged in a public back and forth with a trio of lawmakers led by Rep. Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.) over its VIP bettor program. That saga started in July, when The Inquirer published a video that MLB star Bryce Harper recorded for a FanDuel VIP bettor in November 2024. Although Harper didn’t encourage the bettor to gamble more—in the video, he wished him a happy Thanksgiving—the video led to increased criticism of VIP bettor programs.
The man who Harper recorded the video for, Terry Thompson, sued FanDuel and DraftKings in in March, claiming they deliberately designed their apps to be dangerously addictive.
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