Caesars Interactive Entertainment, Inc. has hired Leon Thomas as vice president and general manager of regulated online gaming. Reporting directly to Chief Executive Officer Mitch Garber, Thomas will be responsible for developing and executing CIE’s real-money online gaming strategy, focusing on its growth in the U.S. market. In addition, he will oversee marketing, casino, poker and operational functions for CIE and promote communication and strategic execution among real-money gaming offices in Montreal, Las Vegas, New Jersey and Tel Aviv. Thomas will be based in CIE’s Las Vegas corporate offices.
Currently CIE offers the real-money gaming sites WSOP.com in Nevada and New Jersey, plus CaesarsCasino.com and HarrahsCasino.com in New Jersey. All sites offer both desktop and mobile and tablet versions.
Previously, Thomas was managing director at Tombola, the largest online bingo site in the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain, where he managed group marketing, payments and fraud, international operations and business and product development. In his three and a half years at Tombola, he was instrumental in increasing revenues and building market share to leading positions in new regulated markets Italy and Spain, as well as maintaining leading market share in the U.K. Thomas also spent five years at Bwin.Party, overseeing customer service, risk operations and regulatory matters.
Garber said, “I have known Leon for the past eight and a half years and the timing was finally right for us to reunite. Thomas brings a wealth of real-money gaming experience from his decade in the regulated European markets and we expect him to hit the ground running as we continue to build out our real-money gaming team as we work towards a bright future.”
Noted Thomas, “I’m impressed with the team Mitch has already assembled at CIE and can’t wait to roll up my sleeves and help position CIE for success in the regulated online gaming industry in the United States. While some may see struggles for the nascent U.S. market, I see plenty of opportunity and optimism for what I know is a fertile and large opportunity in a nation who enjoys this form of entertainment.”
