Josh Wilson will step down as CEO of SciPlay on 30 October, Light & Wonder has announced. He will leave the social casino business at the end of his contract term, with the company not disclosing the reasons for his departure.
Oliver Chow, Light & Wonder’s CFO, will take executive oversight of SciPlay while the group searches for a successor. The company said the leadership transition would not change SciPlay’s status within the business.
Wilson became SciPlay CEO in 2019 after holding several positions across Light & Wonder, including COO of social gaming, vice president of product and operations, and vice president of product. Before joining the company, he spent 18 months in senior gaming roles at Williams Interactive, following more than 11 years at Phantom EFX.
Light & Wonder maintains SciPlay strategy despite leadership change
Light & Wonder said SciPlay would remain a “distinct reporting segment” and confirmed there was “no change” to its strategy for the social casino business or its portfolio of brands.
“Our confidence in the social casino category, in SciPlay’s brands and in the opportunity to grow direct-to-consumer remains unchanged,” said Light & Wonder president and CEO Matt Wilson.
He praised Josh Wilson’s contribution and backed Chow. “Josh has made a substantial contribution to SciPlay over more than two decades, taking the business through its initial public offering and building a portfolio of leading social casino titles alongside a strong team and culture,” Wilson added.
“We are taking time to appoint the right leader for SciPlay’s next phase. In the meantime, Oliver will work closely with the talented and experienced SciPlay leadership team, whose deep knowledge of the business, brands and players will provide important continuity as we move through this transition.”
SciPlay weakness contrasts with wider Light & Wonder growth
This leadership change follows a difficult first half for SciPlay, with revenue falling year-on-year in both quarters. Q1 revenue dropped 7% to $187m, reflecting weakness among Jackpot Party Casino players, while Q2 revenue fell 9% to $182m amid softer casino conditions and lower average monthly players.
The overall Light & Wonder business performed differently. Overall group revenue increased 2% to $790m in Q1 and 2% to $828m in Q2, leaving first-half revenue 2% higher at $1.62bn. Growth was primarily driven by continued expansion in the iGaming segment
Josh Wilson’s departure from SciPlay is more significant because it comes while the social casino business is under pressure, with revenue declining in both Q1 and Q2. Light & Wonder is keeping the strategy intact, so the key issue is whether the next CEO can stabilize performance without disrupting the position SciPlay has built across its brands.
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