Who is Dan Taylor, the new CEO of Flutter Entertainment?

Earlier this month, Flutter Entertainment confirmed a change at the top, announcing that Peter Jackson, who helmed the world's largest online sports betting and iGaming operator since January 2018, will be replaced by Dan Taylor.

Mr Jackson oversaw an extraordinary period that saw Flutter grow from Paddy Power Betfair into a worldwide iGaming powerhouse, with his eight-and-a-half-year tenure redefining the landscape of global sports betting and online gaming.

He orchestrated the acquisition of FanDuel, The Stars Group (owner of PokerStars and Sky Bet), and Flutter Entertainment plc’s primary listing more to the New York Stock Exchange, marking the company’s complete transition into a global corporate giant.

However, the change comes at a moment when the operator finds itself under severe pressure from intense macroeconomic, regulatory, and competitive headwinds.

Investors have increasingly questioned the sustainability of Flutter's capital-intensive growth model after the group posted consecutive net losses – including $160m in FY2024 and $400m in FY2025 – driven by M&A costs and heavy investment commitments. Shares have tumbled over 60 per cent over the past 12 months, wiping out tens of billions in market capitalisation.

Meanwhile, Flutter’s flagship US brand, FanDuel, has faced an aggressive new threat from CFTC-regulated prediction exchanges offering event contracts, directly challenging traditional sportsbooks.

Mr Taylor will step into this maelstrom with plenty of experience.

Holding an MA in Economics from the University of Cambridge, he started his career working as Manchester United's commercial manager from 2004.

He then built a background in strategy consulting and commercial development: Associate Partner at OC&C Strategy Consultants, Director of Strategy and Commercial Development at DMG Media, and Managing Director at Teletext Holidays.

In March 2015 he was approached by then-Paddy Power CEO Andy McCue to become Managing Director of Retail – by his own account, he "had never worked in the gambling industry before, let alone a retail business," but liked the appeal of the company. This role covered Paddy Power's retail business as well as Italian online operations for Paddy Power and Betfair.

Now a Flutter veteran of more than a decade, Mr Taylor most recently served as President of Flutter and CEO of its International division.

He was appointed CEO of Flutter International in July 2020, taking responsibility for brands including Betfair International, PokerStars, Adjarabet, Junglee Games, and, more recently, Sisal and Sky Bet.

Earlier in his career at the company, he served as CEO of Paddy Power Betfair from 2018 to 2020.

In May 2026, Mr Taylor's remit expanded when he was named Flutter President, giving him additional oversight of commercial delivery across the group's global portfolio, including FanDuel – a role that put him at the centre of efforts to turn around FanDuel's underperforming US sportsbook business following the departure of former FanDuel CEO Amy Howe.

Under Mr Taylor's leadership, Flutter's International division became a significant growth engine for the group, generating more than $9 billion in annual revenue and over $2.2 billion in adjusted EBITDA in 2025.

His tenure included major expansion moves such as the roughly £1.62 billion acquisition of Italian operator Sisal, as well as more recent acquisitions of NSX (owner of Brazil's Betnacional brand) and Snai in Italy.

Flutter has said his leadership contributed to more than $300 million in incremental realised synergies and efficiencies across the business.

The board frames Mr Taylor's appointment as a succession built on continuity rather than a break in strategy, pointing to his long internal track record and his current oversight of both the International division and commercial delivery at FanDuel.

The announcement came alongside a cut to Flutter's full-year core profit forecast, its fourth consecutive downward revision, attributed to planned investment in the US business.

Flutter Chair John Bryant praised Mr Taylor's record of delivering results and leading complex international businesses, calling him the right person to guide Flutter into its next growth phase.

Mr Jackson, reflecting on his own run, said he was proud of what the company had achieved and expressed confidence in Taylor and the leadership team going forward.

Mr Taylor himself struck a continuity-focused note, saying the priority would be to keep delivering for colleagues, customers, and shareholders while building on the company's current momentum.