Yolo Group taps former Flutter exec for Chief Product Officer

Yolo Group has secured a new Chief Product Officer in the face of Ashley-Christian Hardy who is joining the company bringing with him years of relevant industry experience.

Notably, Hardy is a seasoned ex-Flutter executive and this comes with a deep knowledge of the industry, having helped steer many of its leading brands.

Yolo Group strengthens executive team with CPO appointment

The appointment of Hardy comes at an important time for Yolo Group as well. The company has been actively seeking to strengthen its presence in global sports betting and gaming through its flagship brands Bitcasino and Sportsbet.io.

Both companies awarded millions worth of jackpots to players, with Sportsbet.io actually paying out the largest-ever online jackpot won back in December 2023, with a player betting $50 on Games Global’s Wheel of Wishes game, turning it into a $42m payday.

Recently, another player won $3.2m from Bitcasino.io from Gates of Bitcasino, a Pragmatic Play game that has been modified to help the operator boost its brand and staying power. The company also recently joined IBIA. Hardy similarly brings other relevant experience to the table.

He had also worked with Gaming Innovation Group for close to four years prior to pursuing a career in Flutter Entertainment. Commenting on his latest appointment in a LinkedIn post, Hardy had this to say:

"I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as chief product officer at Yolo Group. After a great two years [with] Flutter International, I have been given the opportunity to join Yolo Group as CPO."

Notably, as his part of GiG, Hardy helped with the deployment of the New Jersey sportsbook and has been actively involved with various aspects of the industry.

Industry veteran with ties to Full Tilt Poker, PokerStars, and others

Going back to his roots, Hardy was actually around the time when bet365 was only dipping a toe in the iGaming segment. He later joined Full Tilt Poker in 2009, only to follow this one up with an appointment in PokerStars later in his career.

Yet, Hardy notably pointed out to his experience with Flutter, arguing that he had learned a lot during his stint with the company. Familiarized with different aspects of a big business such as Flutter, Hardy added, he now felt confident about contributing meaningful and impactful solutions to Yolo Group.

This is not the first time Yolo Group has made the news securing talent from other companies as Shane Anderson, a former Better Collective exec, also joined the company just this April.

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