Casinos & Gaming Law

Gaming is in the midst of a revolution: operators are embracing cryptocurrencies, moving to digital and mobile platforms, and state legislatures increasingly find value in gaming. Through this revolution, regulators are rushing to account for these changes.

The attorneys of Lathrop GPM help our clients navigate this revolution.

We represent the largest gaming companies in the world on both the operator and supplier/manufacturer sides and work with large municipalities and gaming jurisdictions in connection with our representation. We maintain strong relationships with various regulatory agencies and municipalities related to licensing and registration, and our attorneys have worked with and appeared in front of many federal, state and Tribal gaming commissions including the Missouri Gaming Commission, the Illinois Gaming Board, Nevada Gaming Control Board, Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission, Maryland State Lottery & Gaming Control Agency, National Indian Gaming Commission, Shingle Springs Gaming Commission, Pokagon Band Gaming Commission, Jamul Tribal Gaming Commission,  and various Tribal, federal and state agencies.

We have deep experience in:

• Casino Gaming
• Tribal Gaming
• Sports Book
• Online Sports
• Wagering
• Online Poker
• [Social Gaming]
• Video Gaming Terminal (VGT)
• Videos Lottery Terminal (VLT)
• Historical Race Wagering (e.g., Instant Racing)
• IGaming
• Gaming Legislation

Our services include:

• Developing gaming operations from concept through opening including development agreement negotiation and re-negotiation and the establishment of various municipal development programs (TIFF, CID, MOU, related bond issuances)
• Assisting with the licensing process – coordinating with individuals and business entities to navigate application procedures, interviews, renewal application filings and ongoing disclosure obligations
• Establishment and maintenance of internal controls with a focus on compliance with local regulatory structures and United States Federal Government requirements;
• Reviewing and approving marketing proposals – providing cost-effective review of the rules that affect various promotions, identifying and addressing potential material issues
• Providing counsel through disciplinary proceedings – with a focus on prevention, offering guidance on challenging proposed disciplinary actions and facilitating the application of best practices on a going-forward basis
• Negotiating and drafting debt agreements for financing large scale casino developments, including high yield bonds term and revolving loans, and FF&E agreements;
• Negotiating construction and development agreements for casino developments

Representative Experience:

• Represented various public companies before the Missouri Gaming Commission, Maryland State Lottery & Gaming Control Agency, and Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission and in negotiations with municipalities in connection with gaming developments from the Request for Proposal (“RFP”) stage through breaking ground and the licensing/opening of the gaming facilities
• Represented two international private equity funds in the largest consummated gaming acquisition, successfully obtaining state regulatory approval for the acquisition under a novel gaming structure in concert with a multi-jurisdictional team
• Successfully brokered the terms of a mutually beneficial agreement between PokerStars and The Seminole Tribe of Florida
• Represented international testing lab for electronic gaming devices, reversing the sole source policy of the state agency
• Successfully represented international architect in a multimillion-dollar dispute with the owner involving the expansion of one of the largest casinos in the United States
• Guided a foreign jurisdiction gaming entrepreneur through the Illinois Gaming Board process to become licensed and approved as one of the very first Terminal Operators under the Video Gaming Terminal Laws in the state of Illinois, providing an instant, invaluable competitive advantage to the client
• Assisted various gaming operations with ongoing regulatory compliance matters and investigations
• Represented clients before the Illinois Gaming Board under the novel Video Gaming Terminal laws
• Represented Pinnacle Entertainment in its successful attempt to win RFPs to build casinos in both St. Louis City and St. Louis County, which projects resulted in $1 billion dollars of construction
• Represented a gaming management company in over $1 billion in bond financings for tribal casino development where the tribal government issued the bonds