Recent News:
F. Warren Jacoby, a member of the firm’s Commercial Litigation Department, has been reappointed as the co-chair of the Gaming Law Committee for the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
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From vast brick-and-mortar casino chain operators to trailblazing sports betting and e-game entrepreneurs, the gaming industry is home to some of the most diverse, dynamic, and exciting businesses in the United States. As the market continues to expand and embrace new gaming products and services, new payment mechanisms and online platforms, and as new jurisdictions authorize gaming activities across the country, opportunities and challenges will proliferate for both traditional gambling companies and new market entrants.
Cozen O’Connor’s experience in the gaming industry is broad and deep. Our relationships and knowledge stretch back over decades of advising traditional gaming companies including hotels and casinos, sports betting companies, executives, gaming equipment manufacturers and distributors, lotteries, and racetracks on all aspects of their business operations, including:
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Advising lenders, investors, and developers of gambling operations on a wide range of business-critical issues from structuring to real estate to taxation, including tribal gaming-related considerations;
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Advising on partnerships between professional sports teams and leagues and gaming operators and suppliers;
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Representing individuals or entities facing criminal investigation or prosecution for gaming-related allegations;
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Advising on state and federal legislative and regulatory issues and counselling clients to assist them in understanding and complying with existing and new regulations and laws as they are introduced;
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Building on-going and positive relationships and promoting clients’ interests with federal and state regulatory bodies, State Attorneys General, and other decision-makers in the gaming eco-system; and
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Advising and working with trade associations, gambling commissions and gaming control boards, and other key influencer groups within the industry.
Building on this seasoned experience and deeply rooted relationships within the gaming eco-system, Cozen O’Connor attorneys are working at the cutting edge of the industry as new technologies and online platforms multiply. Our work includes:
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Representing U.S. and foreign entities to help them establish successful online gaming operations and/or defend against erosion of traditional market share;
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Advising on corporate law, taxation, labor law, and intellectual property matters to companies within the interactive entertainment and e-sports industry including publishers, developers, platform manufacturers, and content providers;
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Representing industry disrupters as they develop market entry strategies and seek to compete with mega-players;
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Assisting clients with the development of new business models that achieve strategic goals while maintaining compliance with prevailing federal and state legislative and regulatory frameworks; and
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Advising on and lobbying for legalization of online gaming and sports betting products and services, advocating for laws and regulations that enable industry growth, and assisting clients with implementation and licensing issues.
Our litigation team has served as chief litigation counsel for some of the largest operators in the gaming industry, representing them in bankruptcy proceedings, multibillion dollar lawsuits, bet-the-company antitrust and RICO matters, as well as handling labor and employment concerns. We have facilitated the successful entry of U.S. and international businesses into the legal gambling market and represented clients facing possible criminal prosecution, civil forfeiture action, or investigation due to ambiguous or outdated regulations or statutory provisions. We partner with clients to address challenges related to under-age and problem gambling and cheating, fraud, and money-laundering. We have managed complex investigations and litigation where fraud is suspected or alleged, while minimizing reputational damage and interruption to business operations.
We understand critical issues surrounding protection of consumer data, data security, and privacy. Our frequent interactions with federal and state regulators and enforcers mean we are intimately familiar with digital currency issues, geolocation protocols, regulatory monitoring of i-gaming platforms and the need for online gaming providers to comply with strict i-gaming regulation protocols and standards, including those related to identity verification, account funding, and transaction recording.
Above all, our cross-disciplinary gaming industry team is focused on delivering practical solutions to our diverse gaming clients at all stages of the business life cycle. Our experience across every aspect of gaming and online betting — from casino operators to fantasy sports — together with our deep knowledge of the legislative and regulatory environments that govern all of their activities, sets us apart.