DraftKings has announced Lori Kalani as its first Chief Responsible Gaming Officer. Kalani will report directly to DraftKings CEO Jason Robins, and will be responsible for evaluating and integrating the sportsbook's player safety and protection initiatives among other responsibilities.
Kalani’s experience goes back almost 15 years, with her first notable role being in the senior counsel at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe between 2010 and 2012. She then went on to serve as a Partner of Dickstein Shapiro, before taking on the role of Partner at the Cozen O’Connor law firm and Co-Chair at the State Attorney's General Practice; a role she has held since 2015. These experiences in law and policy make Kalani a suitable candidate for the role, according to the sportsbook.
On her appointment, Kalani said, “Joining DraftKings represents an exciting opportunity for me to bolster the efforts of the company and look for opportunities to reinforce our responsible gaming initiatives. I am eager to partner with colleagues, regulators, industry leaders and community advocates to further demonstrate DraftKings’ commitment to responsible gaming.”
Robins added, “In this leadership role, Lori will further advance our responsible gaming initiatives and uphold our commitment to setting new industry standards.”
Initiatives from DraftKings to bolster responsible gambling include evidence-based research, employee training and player education, among others.
The appointment follows last month's Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM), led by the National Council on Problem Gambling. Throughout the month a range of companies launched new initiatives aimed to combat problem gambling, with industry competitor FanDuel partnering with Kindbridge to deliver problem gambling mental health services, which were trialed in New Jersey and Ohio.
