Broadway Gaming appoints Mark Cleary as CEO in planned leadership transition

Online bingo and casino operator Broadway Gaming has announced the promotion of Mark Cleary to Chief Executive Officer, marking a significant step in the company’s ongoing growth strategy.

Mr Cleary, who has served as Chief Operating Officer (COO) since 2018, succeeds David Butler, the company’s founder and outgoing CEO.

Mr Butler will move into the role of Executive Chairman, where he will continue to shape Broadway’s long-term vision with a particular focus on strategic partnerships and mergers and acquisitions.

“This transition has been carefully planned, and I have full confidence in Mark’s ability to lead the company forward,” said Mr Butler. “As Executive Chairman, I’ll continue to be actively involved in driving our long-term vision, partnerships and potential M&A opportunities.”

Mr Cleary said he was honoured to take the helm at what he described as an exciting time for the business.

“Broadway Gaming has an exciting future ahead, and I’m committed to building on the strong foundations that David has laid to deliver even greater value for our players, partners, and people.”

From COO to CEO

Since joining Broadway Gaming in 2018, Mr Cleary has overseen operations, compliance, payments and human resources, helping the company achieve strong growth and operational excellence. His leadership has also been credited with nurturing Broadway’s team culture and helping the business become the UK’s largest independent online bingo operator.

Before entering the iGaming space, Mr Cleary built his career in telecommunications, holding senior roles at Vodafone, Perlico, and 2degrees in New Zealand, where he served as Chief Sales Officer and later as Chief Customer Officer.

David Butler’s legacy and Broadway’s growth

Founded by Mr Butler in 2010, Broadway Gaming received its first Malta Gaming Authority licence that same year before obtaining a UK Gambling Commission licence in 2015.

The group now operates more than 30 bingo and casino brands, including Wink Bingo, 888Ladies, Butlers Bingo, and Costa Games, and also provides B2B services through the Dragonfish platform, which it acquired from 888 Holdings in 2021.

At the time of the acquisition, Mr Butler said the integration of the Dragonfish network would “create an even stronger global footprint in key regulated bingo markets,” while opening new opportunities for both its B2C and B2B divisions.

Industry context

Broadway’s leadership transition comes amid a period of wider movement across the iGaming sector, with several key senior appointments announced in recent weeks. Last week, Games Inc named Fiona Hickey as Managing Director to lead international expansion, while Aristocrat appointed Michael Daly, former Catena Media CEO, as SVP Business Development & Strategic Execution – Global.

As the online gaming landscape continues to evolve, Broadway Gaming’s leadership refresh positions the company to consolidate its UK market presence while pursuing new opportunities in regulated jurisdictions worldwide.