EMERGING LEADERS
Watching the Detectives
Qidan ( Kiki ) Guo
Vice President , Gaming Operations , Interblock Gaming
Let ’ s face it . A career working in analytics appeals to certain mindsets . But for Qidan ( Kiki ) Guo , the seed was planted in her childhood . She loved puzzles and old-school detective movies and television series . Sherlock Holmes and Poirot .
“ Analytics is in some way playing detective and finding patterns ,” says Guo , a native of Shenzhen , China , who serves as vice president of gaming operations for Interblock Gaming in Las Vegas . “ I have always loved to ask many questions to get to the bottom of things and use logic plus numbers to answer those questions . That makes analytics the perfect role for me .”
In her current role , Guo and her team analyze games around the world , see what works really well for one region only to have it fail in another . “ For example , it is a completely different strategy setting up games for Las Vegas versus New York versus Florida ,” she says . “ Therefore , we A-B test all possible combinations and roll out the strategy with the optimal settings , then fine tune them as we go .”
“ I have always loved to ask many questions to get to the bottom of things and use logic plus numbers to answer those questions . That makes analytics the perfect role for me .”
Guo took a somewhat roundabout pathway to a career in casino analytics . She got her bachelor ’ s degree in business from Furman University , then returned to China to work in sales in the luxury hotel design industry . She returned to Las Vegas to earn a dual MBA and MS in hospitality at the University of Nevada , Las Vegas .
During the MBA program , Guo met her future husband , Nick Gorman , who worked — and still does — in casino analytics . He has a job at MGM , analyzing gaming . “ Watching him work made me really jealous because the things he worked on were so intriguing ,” Guo says . “ That ’ s why I applied to be an analyst at the Venetian after I graduated .”
Covid-19 struck in Guo ’ s early years at the Venetian . Two things stood out : Her group worked from home , putting in more hours than they did in the office . And all employees continued to receive paychecks , courtesy of owner Sheldon Adelson .
“ My team and I migrated our database from SAS to SQL ,” she says . “ We also worked on new algorithms for player valuation , and were actively planning for player demand and open hours so that we would be fully prepared when casinos were allowed to reopen .”
Guo has benefited from a handful of mentors who taught her not only the business skills but also how to be a better person . “ These lessons can be applied to everything , not just gaming , not just analytics ,” she says . “ It is all about doing the right thing , even though it usually means the harder way .”
For Guo , the future remains in the detailed nuances of analytics . “ I see myself progressing where analytics is most needed and where interesting questions need to be answered . My goal is to continuously take on the hardest challenges .” — Bill Sokolic
Entrepreneurial Gamble
Jai Maw
Co-founder & President , Betting Hero
Jai Maw , the co-founder and president of Betting Hero , stands as a prominent figure in the sports betting and iGaming industry . Betting Hero is renowned for its expertise in customer acquisition , retention and development , boasting over 10 million in-person interactions and delivering more than 500,000 new depositing customers to its partners . The firm operates through three complementary business units — Betting Hero Activation , Betting Hero Research , and Betting Hero Digital — all dedicated to enhancing the mobile betting experience for users .
Originally from England , Maw ’ s journey to success began when he moved to the U . S . in 2010 on a soccer scholarship at Davenport University . His career took a notable turn after college , starting at Judson Group , a boutique executive search firm in Grand Rapids , Michigan . There , he quickly ascended to become one of the youngest top-performing executive search consultants in the company ’ s nationwide network .
Despite his rising career , Maw sought further challenges and growth , leading him to join Gartner , Inc . as a strategic account executive . His exceptional performance at Gartner saw him earning the Winner ’ s Circle achievement in record time , underscoring his knack for exceeding expectations .
Maw ’ s entrepreneurial journey took shape alongside his mentor and eventual collaborator Jeremy Jakary . The duo founded Betting Hero , identifying and filling a niche in the sports betting market . Their venture , driven by a shared vision and relentless ambition , quickly transformed from a side business to a full-time endeavor within a year , demonstrating their commitment and strategic foresight .
Reflecting on his career , Maw acknowledges the challenges of overcoming doubt and the satisfaction of proving skeptics wrong . He credits his success to a blend of confidence , defiance , and persistence towards excellence . Maw
32 Global Gaming Business APRIL 2024