PlayUp, the well-known gaming and betting operator, has appointed a new chair of PlayUp USA – Dennis Drazin. He will be taking the spot from Laila Mintas, with whom the company has had a massive fallout and taken legal actions.
Drazin’s Appointment is Effective Immediately
As PlayUp is looking to expand its influence and market share in the US, the company sees Drazin as the perfect man for the task. He was first appointed to the board in 2020 after he showed that he is well competent as a leader. He played a key role in the Supreme Court’s overturn on the sports betting ban while being the chair and CEO of Darby Development.
Moreover, Drazin is appreciated and respected in the gambling industry, which is why he’s a member of the SBC Sports Betting Hall of Fame.
While speaking about the appointment, Drazin stated that it has been rewarding to witness PlayUp’s growth in the past couple of months. He added that the strong performance of the company encourages him, especially in New Jersey. New Jersey is perceived by many as the most competitive market in the world. Back in September, NJ was the first US state to cross the $1 billion mark in total sports handle, after falling short in December 2020, when its handle reached $996 million.
Drazin closed off by saying that he’s looking forward to working with the team to scale PlayUp’s operations and do whatever is necessary to extend the already rapid growth that the company is experiencing not just in the US but also in Australia.
PlayUp Gained a Restraining Order Against Mintas
Recently, a Nevada court granted PlayUp a restraining order against Mintas, the former CEO of the company. The relationship between the two parties went south after they were negotiating a new contract renewal.
In it, Mintas requested to be the global CEO of PlayUp with a doubled salary of $1 million each year and have her stake in the company lifted to 15%. After the negotiations fell through, PlayUp stated that she issued a threat to burn the company to the ground. The company also shared that she sabotaged a deal to sell the Australian business.
Reportedly, she contacted an FTX Limited proprietor, Sam Bankman-Fried, and informed him that PlayUp’s management has a conflict and the “company is not clean.” Mintas denied the allegations by saying that the court filings are wrong.
As for PlayUp, the company denied commenting on the ongoing legal processes against Mintas. A statement was issued in which PlayUp said that it won’t make any further comment on the developments and while it looks forward to the resolution of that problem, it remains focused on its growth.