Entain Reportedly Hires Ex-gambling Regulator from Louisiana

Ousted from his position last summer as a chair of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, Ronnie Jones, is reportedly joining Entain’s workforce as an advisor.

Ex-chair of Louisiana Gaming Control Board Reportedly Joins Entain

The UK gaming leader, Entain, maybe having a new member with gambling regulation experience as a part of its advisory board. Louisiana Gaming Control Board’s ex-chair, Ronnie Jones, maybe joining Entain, according to an announcement by The Advocate on Monday this week. In his new position at Entain, Jones would be helping the company expand in the U.S. by providing professional advice on rules and regulations. The UK gaming leader previously formed the advisory panel and hired multiple people who have a professional background within regulation from different U.S. states.

Before joining Entain, Jones had to ensure that he would not breach any state ethics laws. Thus he submitted a request for an opinion from the Louisiana Board of Ethics. Consequently, Jones received approval from the Board of Ethics last week and agreed to take the job on Monday.

Speaking for The Advocate, he acknowledged that he never regulated the company, nor licensed it in the state, yet he still had to ask the Ethics Board whether he can go ahead and accept the work offer. Although the Ethics Board gave the go-ahead, Jones had to agree with a condition, restricting him to help Entain “for compensation, in a transaction, or appearance” relating to his former employer – the Louisiana Gaming Control Board.

Jones Was Ousted from the Gaming Control Board Last Year

Jones was a state police officer for more than 30 years. He started at Louisiana’s State Police as a trooper back in 1974. Once retired, he was appointed by Governor Bobby Jindal in 2013 as a chair of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. However, last summer, he was one of eleven appointees who did not receive approval from the Senate.

Although he was appointed by Governor John Bel Edwards, after Senators debate behind closed doors in June, Jones was removed from his position as chair of the Gaming Control Board in Louisiana. Consequently, in July last year, Governor Edwards announced that Lieutenant Colonel Mike Noel was appointed as the new chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board.