Leadership Transitions Reshape Prediction Markets and Canadian Gaming Operations
TL;DR — CDNA sees its fourth C-suite exit in 12 months amid cost cuts. Hard Rock Digital and Midnite add talent from BetMGM and FanDuel for Canada entry. IAGR elects Argentine regulator Dr. Ida Magdalena López to its board while Onyx Odds appoints ex-Underdog counsel.
SCCG Take — Talent poaching intensifies for Canadian expansion even as prediction market platforms trim senior roles under cost pressure.
SBC Americas reports a series of executive changes across the gaming and prediction markets industry, reflecting ongoing adjustments in leadership.
Continued C-Suite Turnover at CDNA
Steve Goodsell is the latest executive to depart Crypto.com | Derivatives North America (CDNA) as its Chief Technology Officer. Goodsell, who had been with the company since March 2022, clarified on LinkedIn that his exit was involuntary. “Sadly, due to yet another cost saving round in the parent company, my time at NADEX/CDNA has come to an involuntary end,” he wrote.
Goodsell is at least the fourth C-level executive to leave in the last 12 months, after CEO Travis McGhee — replaced by COO Marcus Dees — Chief Compliance and Regulatory Officer Kevin Dan, and Chief Risk Officer Wen Jiang.
Hires Accelerate Expansion into Canada and Prediction Markets
Hard Rock Digital has recruited Paul Adams from BetMGM to the role of director of Ontario revenue. This follows the launch of Hard Rock Bet in Ontario on July 22. The move marks the Seminole Tribe-owned operator’s first expansion outside the U.S., with Ontario becoming the third North American market offering both online sports betting and iGaming.
The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) elected Dr. Ida Magdalena López, president of the Instituto Provincial de Juegos y Casinos de Mendoza (IPJyC) since 2019, to its board of trustees. López was also elected as the first female president of the Asociación de Loterías Estatales de Argentina (ALEA) in 2024.
IAGR President Ben Haden said, “Ida’s experience will greatly enhance IAGR’s ability to engage on critical regulatory issues with members around the world. Her stature will strengthen IAGR’s presence in South America, which has become a focal point of regulatory innovation and thinking.”
Midnite hired Willie Lok from FanDuel in a similar product role for its casino and loyalty offerings as it enters Canada. Onyx Odds named former Underdog General Counsel Nicholas Green as its first general counsel. The company, registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) as an introducing broker, raised $20m in a Series A round in June.
Michael Waterfield, who spent almost five years as SVP Commercial and Corporate Strategy at White Hat Studios, has joined Booming Games as CCO. This follows the studio’s agreement to be acquired by Merkur Group in July 2026.
Reporting: SBC Americas
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
Canadian market entry drives hiring sprees at Hard Rock and Midnite even as prediction platforms slash senior roles.
We are watching two divergent signals: operators are loading up for regulated Canadian expansion, while prediction market shops cut deep. CDNA's fourth C-level exit in 12 months is a red flag — cost cuts or strategic chaos, neither is good. Meanwhile, talent flow tells you where the real money is moving: Ontario and regulated markets, not speculative plays.
- CDNA loses CTO Steve Goodsell, its fourth C-suite departure in 12 months amid cost-cutting
- Hard Rock Digital and Midnite hire BetMGM and FanDuel veterans for Ontario expansion
- IAGR adds Argentine regulator Dr. Ida Magdalena López to board, boosting Latin America focus
SCCG angle: SCCG has placed senior talent into Ontario launches and connected operators with regulatory advisors across Latin America. If you are building a team for Canadian entry or need to understand where the next talent class is moving, we have the relationships and the intel to help you move fast and hire smart.
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