Last week, the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) announced the appointment of Sean Ostrow as Managing Director, hoping to further strengthen its leadership team as it advances efforts to promote responsible innovation, consumer protection, and appropriate oversight of sweepstakes casinos.
As Managing Director, Ostrow will oversee SGLA’s lobbying and public policy initiatives, working with legislators, regulators, and stakeholders to ensure the sweepstakes casino sector continues to operate responsibly.
“Sean understands this industry and the challenges it faces better than most,” Jeff Duncan, the SGLA’s Executive Director, told Sweepsy. “For too long, social gaming has been misunderstood, and we wanted a leader who could help tell its story the right way — grounded in facts, responsibility, and innovation.”
‘Knows how to translate complex issues into practical solutions’
Ostrow brings more than a decade of experience guiding emerging digital entertainment sectors through complex policy and regulatory landscapes.
“Sean knows how to translate complex issues into practical solutions that lawmakers and regulators can stand behind,” Duncan said. “His proven ability to build relationships and communicate clearly made him the right choice to help strengthen understanding of online social games and ensure they continue to thrive responsibly.”
Ostrow’s main aspiration will be to try to help ensure that policymakers and the public truly understand what sweepstakes casinos are and how they operate.
“Our goal is to make the industry better understood as a legitimate, entertainment-focused segment of the digital economy that offers adults a fun, safe, and free-to-play experience while generating meaningful economic benefits for states,” Duncan said.
The SGLA hopes Ostrow will also strengthen its engagement with legislators, regulators, and tribal partners to promote responsible frameworks that protect consumers, support innovation, and allow good actors to continue operating responsibly.
“Misconceptions about the industry continue to create challenges for its growth and proper regulation,” Duncan said. “Online social games with sweepstakes promotions are free-to-play entertainment enjoyed responsibly by millions, yet they are often mischaracterized.”
Trying to boost education, understanding
Ostrow will help ensure that policymakers and the public have an accurate understanding of the industry. Duncan said he will also work to modernize outdated or inconsistent laws so that regulations protect consumers, support innovation, and allow responsible companies to operate while generating economic benefits for states.
“The online social games sector is a growing source of entertainment and economic activity, yet its contributions are too often overlooked,” Duncan said. “By modernizing regulation, states can protect consumers while also benefiting from the significant revenue these games generate, revenue that can help offset budget shortfalls and support public priorities.”
With Ostrow joining the team, Duncan said SGLA has even more firepower to strengthen the understanding of this industry.
Before joining the SGLA, Ostrow served as a multi-state contract attorney and strategist with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, leading policy initiatives for the Sports Betting Alliance and advising clients including Major League Baseball, the NBA and the PGA Tour.
He also served as Manager of Government Affairs at FanDuel, where he was instrumental in securing the passage of fantasy sports legislation in multiple states, shaping new policy that balanced innovation with consumer protection.
