FanDuel founder shuts crypto casino to focus on AI dealers

BetHog, a crypto casino and sports betting platform, is shutting down its consumer-facing operations to focus entirely on Sentient Studios, its AI-powered live dealer software business, founder Nigel Eccles announced. The decision, made by the board about a month ago, follows a period when the company concluded it could not effectively pursue both direct-to-consumer gambling and enterprise software simultaneously, Eccles said. Forbes first reported the shutdown.

Eccles and Rob Jones launched BetHog in late 2024 with $6 million in seed financing led by venture capital firm 6MV. The platform had already gone through an alpha phase, offering proprietary casino games and titles from established developers such as Pragmatic Play and Evolution.