VIP Play has announced the appointment of Dr. Robert Rippee as Interim CMO.
The move, effective immediately, is aimed at accelerating the company's growth strategy, in part through collaborations with academic institutions.
Dr. Rippee brings extensive experience from both industry and academic sectors. He previously served as SVP of Marketing at Las Vegas Sands Corporation, where he managed global brand development and customer acquisition strategies.
Most recently, he spent a decade as Executive Director of UNLV's Black Fire Innovation hub, a globally recognised research and development center for gaming and hospitality technology.
Dr. Rippee's appointment creates a direct connection between VIP Play and UNLV's innovation infrastructure. The collaboration is hoped to accelerate product development timelines and boost customer engagement through academic research insights focused on gaming convergence, esports and consumer behaviour patterns.
Commenting on the development, CEO Les Ottolenghi stated: "Dr. Rippee's proven ability to bridge cutting-edge academic research, innovation ecosystems and gaming industry leadership makes him a powerful addition to VIP Play.
"His appointment signals to the market that VIP Play is not only competing - but leading - at the intersection of technology, gaming and fan engagement. We expect this partnership with Black Fire to translate into meaningful shareholder value and accelerated growth."
Dr. Rippee himself added: "I see a tremendous opportunity to elevate VIP Play into one of the most innovative and customer-centric platforms in the sports betting and gaming industry.
"Using the model developed at UNLV's Black Fire Innovation, we will accelerate product development and deliver experiences that increase engagement, loyalty and long-term revenue growth. This is exactly the kind of forward-looking strategy investors should be excited about."
The announcement follows a series of executive changes at VIP Play, including the June 2025 appointment of Ottolenghi as CEO.
