David Mann became CEO of Playnetic in January 2026, days after leaving the top job at Swintt. He started out managing a William Hill betting shop in Aberdeen and worked his way up through sales and business development for nearly two decades before he ran a company. Here is his full career path, why he made the move, and what he’s building at Playnetic now.
Who Is David Mann?
David Mann is the Chief Executive Officer of Playnetic, a B2B casino game studio based in Malta. He stepped into the role in January 2026, right after six years at Swintt.
Mann has spent nearly two decades in the gambling industry. He started on the retail side at a William Hill betting shop, moved into sales and business development, then worked his way up to CEO at two different game suppliers.
He studied journalism at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland, working at William Hill throughout his studies before graduating in 2013. His path into iGaming ran through commercial roles, not a straight line from a business degree to the boardroom.
David Mann’s Career in iGaming
Mann’s path into iGaming didn’t start with a game studio. He worked as Deputy Manager at a William Hill betting shop in Aberdeen from 2008 until early 2014, a stretch that overlapped with his journalism studies at Robert Gordon University.
He then spent a few months as Bet Settlement Executive at Betway before joining Spigo in September 2014. Spigo promoted him from International Customer and Content Manager to Head of Sales in 2015, and he worked deals with operators like LeoVegas and Groove Gaming before leaving in September 2017.
From there, he moved to Wazdan as a sales and business development manager, staying until May 2019. He joined Swintt in May 2019 as Business Development Director, relocating to Malta for the role. Swintt made him Chief Commercial Officer in December 2020, then CEO in August 2022, when he replaced David Flynn.
As CEO, Mann grew Swintt’s regulatory footprint past a dozen markets, picking up approvals in places like Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, and Lithuania. He also led the 2024 acquisition of Elysium Studios, bringing a run of high-production, movie-style slot games to the supplier’s lineup.
Swintt picked up ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification during Mann’s tenure as CEO, and SwinttStudios kept growing as a route for independent developers to launch games under Swintt’s license. He also oversaw the release of titles like Crystalium, I Hate Fairytales, and Pirate Pledge Hold and Win.
Swintt’s catalog under Mann split into a few distinct lines: Premium for a classic, land-based feel, Select built around mobile-first games, and Elysium for bigger-budget, high-concept titles.
| Year | Milestone |
| 2008 | Starts at William Hill in Aberdeen as Deputy Manager, while studying |
| 2013 | Graduates Robert Gordon University with a BA in Journalism |
| 2014 | Moves to Betway as Bet Settlement Executive, then joins Spigo |
| 2015 | Promoted to Head of Sales at Spigo |
| 2017 | Moves to Wazdan as Sales and Business Development Manager |
| 2019 | Joins Swintt as Business Development Director |
| 2020 | Promoted to Chief Commercial Officer at Swintt |
| 2022 | Named CEO of Swintt, replacing David Flynn |
| 2024 | Leads Swintt’s acquisition of Elysium Studios |
| 2026 | Appointed CEO of Playnetic |
Why David Mann Left Swintt for Playnetic
Mann’s run as Swintt CEO ended in December 2025, closing out six years with the company. Neither side framed the exit as a falling out.
Mann has said he was not chasing further acquisitions at Swintt, choosing instead to get more from what the company already owned. He had taken the supplier about as far as that phase called for.
Playnetic offered a different kind of challenge. It is a much younger studio, launched in January 2024, still building its market position and its team. Mann’s Playnetic appointment took effect in January 2026, right after he left Swintt, and the company’s non-executive director credited his track record and strategic outlook as the reasons behind the hire.
Playnetic Under David Mann: What’s Next
Playnetic already had a solid base before Mann arrived. The studio holds licenses in Malta, Sweden, Romania, Greece, and Ontario.
That kind of market-by-market approval is the same compliance work that keeps regulated online casinos legitimate for players. Its lineup has grown to more than 40 titles released since 2024, backed by a library of upward of 100 older games.
Mann’s stated priority is growth. He wants stronger operator partnerships, new markets, and a steady release schedule, and he has pointed to the studio’s teams as one of Playnetic’s biggest strengths.
Under his leadership, Playnetic has kept a busy events calendar. The studio exhibited at ICE Barcelona in January 2026, unveiling eight new titles, and it returned to iGB L!VE in London that July, working alongside Chief Commercial Officer Kai Botha.
Playnetic now employs more than 100 people across its studios, giving Mann a sizable team to keep building out the game catalog.
How David Mann’s Companies Compare: Swintt vs Playnetic
David Mann has now run two B2B casino suppliers. The table below shows how the two companies compared during his time at each.
| Feature | Swintt (under Mann, 2022 to 2025) | Playnetic (under Mann, 2026 to present) |
| Company type | B2B casino game supplier | B2B casino game supplier |
| Regulated markets | 12+, including Germany, Greece, and the Netherlands | 5, including Malta, Sweden, and Ontario |
| Notable milestone | Acquired Elysium Studios in 2024 | 40+ new titles released since its 2024 launch |
| Mann’s role | CEO, August 2022 to December 2025 | CEO, January 2026 to present |
The Bottom Line
David Mann spent six years turning Swintt into a bigger, more regulated supplier, then stepped straight into the CEO seat at Playnetic. His career runs through sales and business development, not a fast track from a business degree to the top floor. Watch Playnetic’s market count and release schedule for signs of where he takes the studio next.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is David Mann?
David Mann is the CEO of Playnetic, a B2B casino game studio. He took the role in January 2026, after six years at Swintt, where he served as CEO from 2022 to 2025.
What was David Mann’s role at Swintt?
Mann joined Swintt in 2019 as Business Development Director. Swintt promoted him to Chief Commercial Officer in 2020, then to CEO in August 2022, a post he held until December 2025.
When did David Mann become CEO of Playnetic?
Mann’s appointment as Playnetic CEO took effect in January 2026, immediately after his exit from Swintt.
What markets does David Mann’s Playnetic operate in?
Playnetic holds licenses in Malta, Sweden, Romania, Greece, and Ontario. The studio launched in January 2024 and has released more than 40 new titles since then, on top of a back catalog of more than 100 games.
Where did David Mann study?
Mann earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland, graduating in 2013. He worked at a William Hill betting shop throughout his studies.
What was David Mann’s first job in the gambling industry?
Mann’s first industry job was Deputy Manager at a William Hill betting shop in Aberdeen, a role he held from 2008 to early 2014, including throughout his university studies.