Bally’s CFO Transition: Papanier Named Interim CFO as Mircheva Resigns

Bally’s Corporation has confirmed a change at the top of its finance function.

In a press release published on 3 September 2026, the company said Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Mira Mircheva has notified it of her intent to resign, citing personal reasons. Her resignation takes effect on 4 September 2026, though she will remain with the business through 30 September to allow an orderly handover. The board has appointed George Papanier, currently President of Bally’s and a member of its board of directors, as interim CFO from 4 September 2026, and a search for a permanent Chief Financial Officer is now underway.

Mira Mircheva resigns as Bally’s Chief Financial Officer

Bally’s Corporation, traded on the NYSE as BALY, said Mircheva has notified the company of her intent to resign her positions of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. The company stated she is leaving for personal reasons.

Her resignation is effective 4 September 2026. She will stay on through 30 September 2026 to support the handover.

Mira Mircheva’s finance career before leaving the gaming operator

Bally’s describes Mircheva as a senior executive in the hospitality and gaming industry with more than 25 years of experience in finance. Her career spans investment banking, asset management and gaming finance:

• Most recently, Chief Financial Officer of Queen Casino & Entertainment
• Partner and Research Analyst at Standard General
• Senior Research Analyst at Perella Weinberg Partners Asset Management
• Vice President in credit principal investing at Goldman Sachs, having joined its Investment Banking Division as an analyst in 2001

She currently sits on the boards of White Energy and Intralot S.A., and holds a B.A. in Economics from Colgate University.

Bally’s board appoints George Papanier as interim CFO

To lead the financial organisation during the change, the board of directors appointed Papanier as Interim Chief Financial Officer, effective 4 September 2026. He retains his current roles as President of Bally’s and as a member of the board.

Alongside the appointment, the board confirmed it has commenced a search to identify a permanent Chief Financial Officer.

George Papanier’s gaming industry and financial experience

According to Bally’s, Papanier brings over 40 years of gaming industry experience and deep financial experience to the position. He is a Certified Public Accountant, and his history with the company runs deep:

• President of Bally’s land-based casino operations since October 2021
• President and Chief Executive Officer from February 2011 to October 2021
• Joined Bally’s as Chief Operating Officer in 2004
• Served as interim Chief Financial Officer for Bally’s in 2023

His career before Bally’s stretches across gaming and hospitality finance. He held the same operating role at Peninsula Gaming from 2000 to 2004 and was Chief Operating Officer for Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City from 1997 to 2000. From 1995 to 1997 he served as CFO for both Sun International Hotels Limited in the Bahamas and Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut, and earlier held roles at Hemmeter Enterprises and Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino. He is a graduate of Rowan University with a B.A. in Business Administration and Accounting.

What Bally’s CEO said about the interim CFO appointment

Bally’s Chief Executive Officer Robeson Reeves addressed both the departure and the appointment.

On the transition, he said: “On behalf of the entire Board and executive management team, I want to thank Mira for her dedication to Bally’s and we wish her great success going forward.”

On Papanier stepping into the role, he said: “Having spent more than two decades in key operating and financial leadership roles at Bally’s, George has been instrumental in developing our business model, asset portfolio, and growth strategy. He steps into the interim role supported by an experienced finance organization and I am confident that our reporting, controls and capital markets work will continue without disruption.”

Where Bally’s gaming operations stand today

Bally’s describes itself as a fast-growing global entertainment brand with 20 casinos across 11 US states and one casino in Newcastle, UK, along with a golf course in New York and horse racetracks in Colorado and forthcoming in Wyoming.

It owns Bally Bet, which it describes as a first-in-class sports betting and igaming platform licensed in 15 jurisdictions in North America, and holds a majority interest in Bally’s Intralot S.A. (ATSE: BYLOT), active in 39 jurisdictions worldwide. Its casino operations include approximately 17,700 slot machines, 630 table games and 3,950 hotel rooms. The company also holds rights to developable land at the former Tropicana site in Las Vegas, a licence to build a casino and resort in The Bronx, New York, and an integrated resort in Chicago, Illinois.

Source: Bally’s Corporation