FanDuel Completes BeyondPlay Acquisition, Names Pelc VP

Article by : Milena Petrovska Jun 7, 2024

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FanDuel, one of the biggest sports betting and entertainment platforms by Flutter, has finally completed the acquisition of BeyondPlay. Karolina Pelc, the founder and CEO of BeyondPlay, has been named as the vice president of the entity.

Pelc herself shared the news via her LinkedIn profile.

In addition to sharing that she would be the new VP of BeyondPlay, Pelc added that it was “something pretty special” to see the brand that rose without any “fancy marketing agencies” become part of the biggest gaming operator in the US.

BeyondPlay Set to Boost Player Engagement at FanDuel

BeyondPlay was founded in 2021 and provides operators with a jackpot management system through which they can create unique offers. It quickly became a popular engagement tool and obtained licenses in the UK, Ontario, and Malta.

FanDuel is set to harness BeyondPlay’s influence to increase its market share in the lucrative US market. According to statistics, FanDuel was ranked the top online casino brand in the country in Q1 of 2024. Its GGR represented 27% of the total market revenue.

The number of active players at FanDuel increased by a staggering 34%, and revenue increased by 49% compared to Q1 of 2023. According to JMP, FanDuel had a 47.6% market share in April 2024.

The only brand that was remotely close to FanDuel was DraftKings (36.4%).

Acquisition Timeline

Shortly after opening its doors, BeyondPlay sprinted into work and was adamant about expanding its reach.

The company attracted the attention of numerous entrepreneurs and investors. In February 2023, Bettor Capital purchased 25% of LeoVegas Group’s holding in BeyondPlay for €1.9 million. Two months later, BeyondPlay raised €5 million to complement reinvestments from existing shareholders.

At the time, Pelc noted that Bettor Capital’s “leading strategic expertise” and their experience would help BeyondPlay grow to the next level.

In the FanDuel case, even though the acquisition was just completed, the process started in February 2024. Back then, FanDuel announced that it had completed the purchase of BeyondPlay for an undisclosed sum.

Right after the news was shared, Pelc stated that the acquisition was a testament to the “hard work and dedication of our team” as well as the “vision behind our products.”

FanDuel’s managing director, Asaf Noifeld, also said he was delighted to team up with BeyondPlay.

He added that the acquisition would further strengthen FanDuel’s customer experience and that everyone at the operator looked forward to “working together” and increasing FanDuel’s share in the US gaming market.

After the acquisition was announced, there was no news regarding its official completion — that is, until now.

Karolina Pelc Shares the Good News on LinkedIn

Pelc quickly took to LinkedIn to celebrate the good news.

She shared a photo with FanDuel’s logo and a short quote: “BeyondPlay is now part of FanDuel.” In the caption, she wrote how special it was for her job title to include working for “one of the most influential Gaming companies”.

She didn’t shy to add more flattering words, calling FanDuel the number one US Gaming Operator, as she remembered her beginnings in a somewhat poetic way.

In the final note, she revealed that she would start working as vice president of BeyondPlay at FanDuel.

Congratulations to Pelc for her undeniable success. All that’s left now is to see what her creative mind would bring to FanDuel’s table.