FanDuel CEO Amy Howe Departs in Shock Move as Prediction Markets Pressure and Slowing Growth Send Flutter Shares Tumbling
Posted on: May 6, 2026, 05:09h.
Last updated on: May 7, 2026, 06:05h.
- After nearly five years at the helm, Amy Howe’s tenure as the face of FanDuel has come to an abrupt end.
- Internal reports are swirling that Howe was forced out by parent company Flutter as the brand struggles to fend off new prediction market competitors.
- FanDuel President Christian Genetski—the legal architect behind the brand’s US expansion—is stepping in to steady the ship.
FanDuel is entering a new era of uncertainty as longtime CEO Amy Howe departs the betting giant, a shock exit that has sent parent company Flutter Entertainment’s (NYSE: FLUT) stock into a tailspin.
Howe, the first woman to steer a major US sportsbook operator and previously the only one with the title of CEO in the US gaming industry, became CEO of FanDuel in February 2021.
She would play an integral role in the company’s growth following the 2018 Supreme Court ruling on the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PAPSA) and the subsequent explosion in sports betting across the US that followed.
Today, FanDuel is the largest online sportsbook operator by market share in the US.
Flutter Entertainment has confirmed that long-standing FanDuel president Christian Genetski would assume the CEO role, but did not clarify if this was on a permanent or interim basis.
Christian joined FanDuel in 2015 and as President, he oversees FanDuel’s corporate strategy, business development, strategic partnerships, as well as its legal, regulatory and government affairs functions,” according to a statement issued by Flutter. “He played a pivotal role in unlocking sports betting across the United States, working closely with legislators, regulators and industry counterparts, and has been instrumental in scaling the business to market leadership in recent years.”
Was Howe Forced Out?
In the statement, Flutter didn’t reveal if Howe was fired or left of her own accord, but there’s speculation she was forced out and made a scapegoat for Flutter’s sliding share price. She did, however, comment in the statement, acknowledging pride in what FanDuel’s evolution.
“Together, we have established a clear leadership position in the market, strengthened our product and brand, and built strong foundations for future growth,” she said. “With the business well positioned for what comes next, I believe this is the right moment to hand over to new leadership to build on that progress and capture the opportunities ahead.”
In a more emotive email to FanDuel employees, published on X, Howe expressed her pride in the business and suggested that she would forever “bleed blue”, but also called on employees to “Stay true to who you are as leaders and as human beings. Don’t let anyone or any situation compromise that”.
The situation which has cost Howe her job is plain to see. Flutter’s consumer discretionary stock is off 54% year-to-date amid concerns that FanDuel’s podium positioning in the US is threatened by the rise of prediction markets and other competitive pressures.
Flutter recently launched FanDuel Predicts and could spend up to $300 million bolstering that initiative this year.
How much of the blame for Flutter’s share price retrenchment should be assigned to Howe is a matter of debate, but during her tenure as FanDuel CEO, the company was consistently margin superior to rival DraftKings.
Flutter Cuts 2026 Guidance
Flutter delivered first-quarter results after the close of US markets today and that brought a downward revision to the operator’s 2026 guidance. The company now expects revenue of $18.3 billion on adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $2.86 billion at the midpoint.
That’s down from a prior outlook of revenue of $18.4 billion on adjusted EBITDA of $2.97 billion. Based on the update, Flutter is forecasting 12% year-over-year top-line growth and a 1% EBTIDA increase.
The earnings release may have some clues about Howe’s departure.
“FanDuel exited 2025 with a smaller customer base than anticipated which continued to impact growth during the quarter, with sportsbook average monthly players (AMPs) 6% lower year-over-year,” according to the statement.
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