VIP Play appoints former Sands executive as interim CMO

• US mobile sports betting company VIP Play has named Dr Robert Rippee as Interim Chief Marketing Officer to drive growth through innovation partnerships
• Rippee previously served as Senior Vice President of Marketing at Las Vegas Sands Corporation and led UNLV’s Black Fire Innovation hub for a decade
• The appointment includes collaboration with UNLV’s gaming research facility to accelerate product development and commercialisation

Las Vegas-based VIP Play, Inc. has appointed Dr Robert Rippee as Interim Chief Marketing Officer, bringing his experience from Las Vegas Sands Corporation and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to the mobile sports betting company.

Dr Rippee joins VIP Play following his retirement as Executive Director of UNLV’s Black Fire Innovation, where he spent a decade leading one of the gaming industry’s most advanced technology innovation ecosystems. He previously held the position of Senior Vice President of Marketing at Las Vegas Sands Corporation, overseeing global brand growth and customer acquisition strategies.

The appointment establishes a direct partnership between VIP Play and UNLV’s Black Fire Innovation hub, which serves as a research and development facility for gaming, hospitality and entertainment technologies. The collaboration aims to accelerate VIP Play’s product development through access to university talent, startup partnerships, and commercialisation resources.

“I see a tremendous opportunity to elevate VIP Play into one of the most innovative and customer-centric platforms in the sports betting and gaming industry,” said Dr Robert Rippee, Interim CMO at VIP Play, Inc. “

Using the model developed at UNLV’s Black Fire Innovation, we will accelerate product development and deliver experiences that increase engagement, loyalty, and long-term revenue growth. This is exactly the kind of forward-looking strategy investors should be excited about.”

VIP Play currently operates its proprietary technology platform in Tennessee and holds interim iGaming and mobile sports betting licences in West Virginia. The company focuses on delivering modern sportsbook experiences with unique wagering options, sweepstakes contests, and social features, all facilitated through its cloud-native architecture.

“Dr. Rippee’s proven ability to bridge cutting-edge academic research, innovation ecosystems, and gaming industry leadership makes him a powerful addition to VIP Play,” remarked CEO Les Ottolenghi at VIP Play, Inc.

“His appointment signals to the market that VIP Play is not only competing—but leading—at the intersection of technology, gaming, and fan engagement. We expect this partnership with Black Fire to translate into meaningful shareholder value and accelerated growth.”

The collaboration with UNLV provides VIP Play with faster time-to-market capabilities for new betting products, direct access to student talent and startups, and enhanced credibility through university partnerships. Black Fire Innovation has previously worked with major gaming companies including Caesars Entertainment, Boyd Gaming, and technology partners such as Panasonic.

VIP Play trades on the OTCQB market under the ticker symbol VIPZ and emphasises AI-driven product development alongside regulatory compliance and responsible gaming standards.