Social gaming disruptor PickGuru is granted a UK Gambling Commission licence and announces TikTok executive to lead the business

PickGuru, a brand new social gaming platform, announced that it has secured a UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) licence. They also confirm the appointment of TikTok executive Olly Roland-Jones as chief executive officer (CEO).

The platform allows friends and fans to challenge and compete with each other in a wide range of live and engaging sports prediction games. The acquisition of the UKGC licence is an important milestone in the company’s journey towards revolutionising the interaction between real-money wagering and live sport.

Backed by the most successful sports entrepreneurs in the UK, PickGuru will offer users a unique peer-to-peer experience and the opportunity to test their sporting knowledge to win cash prizes.

Powered by seamless real-time data feeds, PickGuru leaderboards will update dynamically as live events progress and provide sports gurus with an edge-of-the-seat experience.

Paul Watkins, chief operating officer and co-founder of PickGuru, said: “Securing a UKGC licence marks a significant step in the company’s history. We’re excited to bring our platform to market in early 2022.”

Paul Cobley, chief technical officer and co-founder, said: “Our platform incorporates a number of elements around gaming, social interaction and betting.

“We really try to emphasise the skill aspect of our games whilst keeping a firm eye on responsibility. We’re really excited to welcome users onboard and we’re confident they will love the experience.”

Roland-Jones joins the business before launch as the group’s first ever CEO. He makes the move from social media giant TikTok and has previously held management roles at sports content providers onSport and cleverGames.

Oliver Slipper, chairman and co-founder of PickGuru, said: “We can move to the next phase on our journey after securing our UKGC licence and closing our £2.6m seed round last month. I’m delighted to welcome Olly Roland-Jones to lead the business as our CEO. Olly brings a wealth of experience in both fantasy games and social media, which we feel will be vital to the success of this business”.

Roland-Jones added: “When Oliver Slipper first approached me about the concept of PickGuru I was instantly drawn to the unique opportunity. It will be a game changer and I’m excited to work with the team to bring the idea to life and lead the business into 2022 and beyond.”