Fanatics names former Indiana Gaming Commission director as senior vice president of legal

Fanatics Betting and Gaming has named the former executive director of the Indiana Gaming Commission to serve as a top legal executive.

The New York City-based online sports betting platform announced on March 16 that Sara Tait will serve as senior vice president and head of legal and regulated industries alongside new Chief Legal Officer Alex Smith.

“FBG’s people and its leadership team are loaded with talent and Fanatics is driven by a strong strategic vision,” Tait said in a statement to The Indiana Lawyer. “Having worked with the company for several years, I know Fanatics has a deep commitment to best practices and doing things the right way. These elements are essential to growing a successful gaming company.”

Tait will report to Smith and hold several responsibilities across Fanatics Betting and Gaming, including serving as legal counsel to the regulated gaming and markets products and managing the platform’s relationships with federal and state regulators.

She’s also tasked with maintaining the brand’s federal and state licenses and registrations and will support government affairs efforts.

“Sara is a well-respected former gaming regulator who also has experience in the private sector, making her the ideal choice to lead critical legal and regulatory efforts,” Smith said. “The legal and regulatory landscape for sports betting, iCasino and prediction markets are constantly changing and having someone that has been on both sides of the regulatory landscape will be invaluable to us as we continue our growth trajectory.”

Tait stepped down from the Indiana Gaming Commission in 2021 after six years in the role. During her time with the commission, Tait helped launch the state’s regulatory system for sports betting, led negotiations for Indiana’s first tribal-state compact and managed the construction and openings of three land-based casino projects. In 2019, the commission gave final approval for the state’s two horse-track casinos to launch live-dealer table games.

Her tenure also saw several significant rulings involving casinos and their operators, including a settlement with Rod Ratcliff, former chief executive for Centaur Gaming and Spectacle Entertainment, who was permanently banned from Indiana’s gambling industry in March 2021. Ratcliff’s ban stemmed from the commission’s discovery of several instances of wrongdoing on his part, including allegations that he funneled money from Centaur into a personal gambling account.