Jennifer Roberts joined the Tennessee Lottery as the director of the state’s online-only sports betting program in December 2019. Now, six months later, she has tendered her resignation before the first bet was placed.
Roberts will join video game gambling company GameCo, according to the Associated Press.
Tennessee lacks a land-based casino industry, so lawmakers were unable to turn to commercial gaming operators to help launch the new industry. Ex-lottery official and current consultant Wanda Young Wilson said Tennessee had no model to follow, because it is the first state to propose only mobile sports betting.
Ultimately, the state went with an open-market online model, then hired Roberts, previously an associate director at the UNLV’s International Center for Gaming Regulation. She was charged with helping to create rules and regulations for the state, and setting a timeline to get sports betting up and running.
Tennessee went with policies considered detrimental to the marketplace, including a minimum hold percentage of 15 percent, later reduced to 10 percent.
