As he weighed the possibility of becoming Racing Queensland’s CEO, Jason Scott consulted with Brendan Parnell, the departing leader of the organisation.
The exchange was as succinct as it was significant.
Scott queried, “Do I really want to do this?” to which Parnell responded, “It is a good job. You have full autonomy.”
Mulling over his decision, Scott recalls, “Mine was a short question and I got a very short answer.”
In the same spirit of strategic calculation that Scott has practised since he was eight, he weighed the odds and embraced the challenge.
“I decided to take this position because I think I can make a difference,” he proclaimed, as he formally succeeded Parnell in late April.
His profession has provided him with priceless insights thanks to the enriching contacts and meetings with people in both Australia and the United States.
Scott feels upbeat when considering the situation of the racing business today.
“We are in a sensational period in racing across all three codes and in Queensland in particular.
“We are still a fair way behind Victoria and NSW, but we are a lot closer than what we were six years ago and my goal and my job is to get us even closer in the next six years,” he declared, brimming with resolve.
As a fervent sports fan, Scott has always had a good sense of statistics, a skill that he developed while working at the racetrack and that has since come to define him.
Scott, who was raised in Sydney, moved to Brisbane in 2004.
Scott has always been passionate about sports, whether it is football or racing.
In 2004, he started his professional career with Humbleton, a pioneer in wagering analysis.
His subsequent endeavours took him to jobs at Queensland’s Tatts and Australia’s Bookmaker.com.au, which culminated in a CEO post at horse racing betting website Ladbrokes Australia.
Prior to his position at Racing Queensland, he most recently worked with BetMGM in the United States.
He recalls that during the time he spent working in the gambling sector, the industry underwent tremendous growth and development as companies like Sportingbet and Ladbrokes started to identify and take use of the possibilities of digital marketing.
According to Scott, this change allowed wagering to leave the realm of racing and sports and enter the general public’s attention.
But Scott is aware of the dangers this developing sector might pose.
He acknowledges, “Now the question is whether it (wagering) has become too prominent … and I am probably of the opinion that in some ways it has,”.
In order to safeguard young viewers from unwarranted exposure to the hazards of gambling, he favours the limitations on the advertising of wagering providers on television during specific times.
Scott is certain that he can make a difference in his capacity as CEO of Racing Queensland.
He emphasises, “The fact that I have made my money and career out of wagering doesn’t mean that I don’t have a good understanding of the other areas of the industry,”.
He envisions his role as a leader not merely as a decision-maker but as a builder of teams, drawing on the expertise of individuals within the industry who are better versed in all three codes than him.
His focus lies in creating a reliable and competent team that can collectively steer Racing Queensland on the path to success.
Scott is eager to use his depth of knowledge and love of the sport as Racing Queensland’s new CEO to help this expanding industry.
