The betting and gaming sector has experienced a period of rapid expansion, modernisation and structural change in recent years as ‘re-regulation’, the introduction of new technologies and changing patterns of behaviour have fostered innovation and adaptation on all fronts.
Our betting and gaming team’s understanding of the law and the commercial dynamics of the sector enables us to advise companies across the industry and in multiple jurisdictions.
Our clients include some of the leading online sports betting, poker, bingo and casino sites, together with operators, hardware manufacturers, software providers, brand owners, retailers and service providers specialising in this market.
With a wide range of legal services, we are well placed to support clients in the betting and gaming sector across a range of business and legal challenges.
On the corporate front we advise clients on the key licensing and regulatory issues arising in a due diligence process and on appropriate warranties to ensure gaming law compliance and other necessary regulatory requirements within a corporate transaction.
We are also experienced in advising clients on the rapidly evolving regulatory environment, particularly in the UK where the ‘point of consumption’ legislation introduced in late 2014 has prompted a surge in clients seeking to be regulated here.
On the real estate side we were part of two successful client teams who between them won four of the large casino licences that were granted following the 2005 Gambling Act. Our involvement was in negotiating and entering into the development agreement for lease, together with the lease and ancillary documents with the institutional landlords and carrying out all necessary due diligence. The first two of these casinos have opened and are trading successfully with the remaining two due to open in 2016/2017.
Our expertise in commercial law means we can help clients with joint ventures and partnering arrangements and address the complex issues associated with the burgeoning online, mobile and interactive TV betting and gaming platforms. Much of our work in this area relates to the systems and software behind these developments, as well as user-facing issues such as terms of business, privacy policies and associated data protection compliance.
