When 46-year-old Adam Pliska joined World Poker Tour as general counsel in the early 2000s, 87% of the gaming and entertainment brand’s revenues came from its television licensing fees. As the shows gained a national audience, online sites began subsidizing it. Three years later, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 passed, which essentially gutted most of its sponsorship funds. Named the CEO of the company in 2009, Pliska had to change strategy and diversify the company’s revenue streams. Almost a decade later, Pliska has been responsible for the entire WPT portfolio, which includes live events, televised broadcasts, international expansion, strategic partnerships and the $35 million sale of the company in 2015. Under his leadership, the company has expanded to 70 events with a presence in more than 150 countries across five continents. In February, the board extended his tenure at the helm of the world’s most visible poker tournament company for four more years.