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BetMGM has hired seasoned marketing exec Casey Hurbis as its chief marketing officer. Hurbis comes to BetMGM from Rocket Mortgage, where he served as CMO and senior vice president of brand experiences and strategic partnerships.
According to Adweek, the CMO position has been vacant since 2020 when then-CMO Matt Prevost switched roles to become the company’s chief revenue officer.
Prevost said in a statement that Hurbis’ hire adds to the momentum of the BetMGM brand.
Bringing a visionary leader like Casey Hurbis on board adds another impactful advantage for our brand.
BetMGM CRO Matt Prevost
Hurbis brings extensive marketing background to BetMGM
Hurbis spent more than six years in marketing and branding at Fiat Chrysler Automotive before moving to Rocket Mortgage. There, helped the company become a leader in mortgage lending.
At the time of his hire, online mortgage lending was gaining momentum amid some skepticism that making it easier to get a mortgage could put money in the hands of borrowers who weren’t prepared for the responsibility.
Sports betting faces the same sort of skepticism, as anti-gambling proponents often point out that an increase in betting availability typically means an increase in problem gambling. Additionally, states continue to fine-tune legislation and regulations that protect problem gamblers.
Hurbis seems to have figured out how to ease that skepticism—Rocket Mortgage originated more home loans than any other lender in the country in 2023, according to National Mortgage News.
Among Hurbis’ successes at Rocket Mortgage include the inauguration of the PGA’s Rocket Mortgage Classic tournament and highly ranked Super Bowl ads that featured celebrities such as Anna Kendrick, Jason Momoa, and Tracy Morgan.
In a statement, Hubris discussed his excitement to join BetMGM.
BetMGM is a brand with incredible momentum, backed by a team that is redefining how we engage and entertain audiences. I look forward to pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation to not only attract new audiences but enhance the experience for our loyal players to even greater heights.
While BetMGM and Rocket Mortgage are vastly different in their product, the two companies have a marketing connection. Both work with creative agency Highdive, which helped bring in Tom Brady and Vince Vaughn for a BetMGM Super Bowl commercial earlier this year.
BetMGM trails behind FanDuel, DraftKings for market share
As BetMGM’s new marketing boss, it’s no doubt Hurbis will try to bridge the significant market-share gap between BetMGM and sports betting industry leaders FanDuel and DraftKings. When it comes to online casinos, BetMGM has a much stronger status compared to both FanDuel and DraftKings.
With Hurbis’ background in bringing on non-sports celebrities to promote a brand, we could see BetMGM’s spokesperson roster include more musicians and actors. That lineup currently includes Jamie Foxx, Jalen Rose, Barry Sanders, and Wayne Gretzky.
