How FanDuel's CEO Amy Howe Transformed Online Sportsbooks Into EBITDA-Profitable Businesses

When Amy Howe stepped into the role of CEO of FanDuel in 2021, the online gambling landscape was crowded with competitors racing to scale at any cost. Three years later, she’s rewritten that playbook entirely—and the industry is taking notice.

This year’s American Gambling Awards recognized Howe as C-Suite Executive of the Year, but the real story isn’t just the recognition. It’s what she’s accomplished: transforming FanDuel into the first online sportsbook to achieve EBITDA profitability, a milestone that fundamentally shifted how the sector thinks about sustainable growth.

From Growth-at-Any-Cost to Profitable Operations

Before Howe’s tenure, the online gambling industry was locked in a spending war. Every operator was burning cash to acquire customers and fight for market share. FanDuel’s shift toward profitability under her leadership signals a maturation in the market.

“This wouldn’t be possible without my team at FanDuel who continues to deliver an industry leading product experience,” Howe noted in her acceptance speech. That emphasis on product excellence, not just customer acquisition, became the foundation for sustainable operations.

The move to profitability came as FanDuel scaled to approximately 17 million customers across all 50 states and global markets spanning Canada, Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, Romania, and Australia. Proving you can hit profitability at that scale is what makes this achievement noteworthy.

Strategic Leadership: Women in the Industry & Product Innovation

As CEO of FanDuel, Howe has also championed initiatives that extend beyond the bottom line. She launched the Women’s Leadership Development Program—a signal that the company is investing in long-term talent retention and industry culture.

On the product side, her vision materialized in 2023 with The Pulse, a real-time betting platform that reimagines how fans engage with live sports. Rather than treating betting as transactional, The Pulse connects users to live sports narratives, creating a more immersive experience.

League Partnerships as Competitive Moat

FanDuel’s relationships with the NFL, NBA, WNBA, and MLB have become a key differentiator. This year, the sportsbook leveraged these partnerships to offer exclusive streaming access and unique fan experiences that competitors couldn’t replicate.

These aren’t just sponsorship deals—they’re strategic assets that deepen the connection between fans and FanDuel’s platform. By positioning the app as the central hub for sports engagement, not just wagering, Howe has built defensibility into the business model.

What’s Next for the Industry

Charles Gillespie, CEO of Gambling.com Group (the organization behind the awards), observed that Howe “has furthered FanDuel’s leadership position to heights which many industry observers didn’t think possible.” For someone relatively new to the industry, her impact has been undeniable.

The combination of profitability, product innovation, league partnerships, and leadership development suggests FanDuel isn’t resting on its market position. Under Howe’s direction, the company continues setting the competitive standard that others will have to match.