Allwyn has appointed Francesco Rodano, a former executive at Playtech, as its new group head of responsible gaming. Rodano has extensive experience in the gaming industry, having spent nearly ten years at Playtech where he served as chief policy officer. From January last year until August 2026, he led the company’s global player-protection initiatives in the role of chief sustainable gambling officer.
In this capacity, Rodano played a crucial role in the implementation of BetBuddy, an AI-powered behavioral analytics platform designed to detect and address potentially dangerous gambling behaviors.
Prior to his career in the private sector, Rodano held the position of director of remote gaming at Italy’s Agenzia Dogane e Monopoli for almost a decade. He contributed significantly to the development of Italy's national online gaming regulation and collaborated with international regulatory organizations. Rodano was also a member of an EU group focused on gaming experts, accumulating two decades of industry experience.
In an interview shared on Allwyn's LinkedIn page, Rodano expressed his comprehensive experience in player protection, stating he has worked on it "from every angle."
Allwyn emphasized that Rodano’s appointment demonstrates the company's commitment to integrating responsible gaming within its growth strategy. Their existing operations have achieved the highest possible Level 4 accreditation according to the World Lottery Association’s responsible gaming framework.
Robert Chvátal, Allwyn’s CEO, noted that this appointment aligns with the organization’s long-term objectives to maintain integrity and player safety across all its products and markets. Rodano expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to expand responsible gaming measures, acknowledging Allwyn’s unique advantage of operating in multiple markets and the potential to learn from them.
This appointment comes on the heels of several leadership transitions at Allwyn, including Phil Walker’s move to oversee the UK business, the hiring of Katie Harbron as director of games in the UK, and the appointment of Khalid Reede Jones as CEO of North America.
