It was halftime of a 76ers game, and the owners’ lounge, in the bowels of Wells Fargo arena, was humming: Bartenders poured Opus One wine into plastic cups; Pat’s cheesesteaks lined the buffet table; and those lucky enough to have courtside seats for the game filed in to mingle.

Fanatics is getting one step closer to launching its highly anticipated sports-gambling division, nearly five years after the Supreme Court overturned the rule preventing states from legalizing bets on sporting events.

Sports-merchandise retailer Fanatics Inc. has hired Jason White as chief marketing officer of Fanatics Betting and Gaming, its nascent online sports-gambling division.