Sports and iGaming
Ask Tim Aguilar where the umbrella of sports betting and online casinos will be in five years, and he’ll rattle off two directions, often with similar goals. The future of iGaming—whether sports betting or online casinos—rests on these pillars, Aguilar says: expansion and innovation, and a convergence with brick-and-mortar facilities.
The Southern California native, who is vice president, business development, for Caesars Sportsbook, has immersed himself in marketing from the outset of his career.
He owes that focus to his late grandfather. “He was a huge influence on my early decision to major in marketing,” Aguilar says. “As a former executive in the alcohol industry, he taught me that ‘it’s not about the product for a price, but an idea for a profit.’ Being strategic and creative in your day-to-day role will always present an opportunity to provide value to your end customer.”
He was driven in large measure by his love of and interest in sports. Add that to his first visit to Las Vegas when he turned 21. He was fascinated how such a business marketed to its players—what they homed in on to keep players inside their casinos.
He wanted in.
“I’ve worked in sports my whole career, so when I first saw daily fantasy sports commercials during major sporting events, I knew sports betting was an industry I wanted to be in,” Aguilar says.
He obtained a bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing from Azusa Pacific University in 2007, and later, an MBA from the University of California, Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business.
His career in marketing launched while he was still in college, starting work with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, the Dodgers single-A affiliate. He then had stints with the Los Angeles Angels and Disney/ESPN networks, where he spent more than eight years. Add almost three years with GAN before Aguilar landed at Caesars in April 2022.
With online casinos an integral part of the focus at Caesars, Aguilar was excited to be a part of the team that in October 2024 launched the company’s second online casino brand in Michigan, associated with the Horseshoe Online Casino.
“Our team continues to work closely with states looking to legalize online casinos and ensure we have the best product available for our players,” he says.
For Aguilar, getting this far speaks to the friends, colleagues and bosses who helped shape his professional development and have been always readily available to listen and provide key advice.
“Having mentors across professional sports, media and entertainment, and gaming industries has given me the opportunity to expand my viewpoints in business and how I want to grow professionally,” says Aguilar, who plays water polo and relaxes around his pool with daughters Olivia and Nora.
Caesars works to enhance a seamless cross-channel integration between digital gaming and brick-and-mortar casinos, he says. In earlier jobs in the cable and magazine industries, Aguilar worked to transition to the online space where content was king. The approach remains similar.
“Brands that provide quality and create bespoke gaming content that resonate directly with their players will have a major advantage.”
