Exclusive: FanDuel hires Alison Kutler to lead responsible gaming

FanDuel has hired Alison Kutler as the company's vice president of sustainability and responsible gaming, Axios has learned.

State of play: As sports betting goes mainstream, operators are investing more resources into ensuring their customers are gambling responsibly.

• Sports betting is now legal in 38 states plus D.C., and major sports leagues — long opposed to betting — are now partners in the fast-growing industry.
• It's become more approachable and less stigmatized, but there are still serious risks associated with gambling of any kind.

Background: FanDuel is already a leader in responsible gaming. Hiring Kutler should help the company better protect consumers and work with regulators.

• Kutler comes to FanDuel from NFT and blockchain developer Dapper Labs, where she served as senior vice president of global government affairs.
• She had a similar role at Visa and has held multiple positions in the U.S. government, including as special advisor to the chairman of the FCC.

Now, she'll work in sports — a field she's loved her whole life.

• "My parents said my first word was 'touchdown,'" Kutler, a Nebraska native, tells Axios.

What they're saying: "There is no higher priority at FanDuel than ensuring our customers play responsibly," FanDuel president Christian Genetski tells Axios.

• "Alison is the right leader during this critical time to ensure … that we build a sustainable industry with responsible gaming as a cornerstone."
• "Her career is replete with examples of where she built industry consensus by navigating difficult issues among many different stakeholders."