Gaming & Hospitality services

The gaming and hospitality industry continues to expand and evolve into exciting new disciplines as the industry navigates a post-pandemic world. With traveling increasing and customers returning to casinos, new technology to enhance user experiences along with advanced health and safety practices are being implemented. Additionally, online gaming is evolving, and more states have become receptive to sports betting. Casinos and casino developers, online providers, gaming-device and associated equipment manufacturers, and related organizations encounter a variety of legal and regulatory issues unique to their operations and activities. With so much at stake, they need a law firm that has a dedicated and experienced team that is ready to provide a full spectrum of legal solutions.

As a full-service law firm with offices located across the United States and in Canada, including popular tourist and established gaming areas like Las Vegas, Reno, Nashville,  Austin, as well as  Washington, D.C., and Toronto, Ontario, Goodman laws represents clients in all facets of the gaming and hospitality industry.

Whether licensing applications for domestic and international device manufacturers and developers, drawing up esports wagering regulations, or consulting in anti-money laundering (AML) compliance, disciplinary matters, and legislative advocacy, Goodman laws can help you reach your ideal outcomes.

Our Clients

Our Gaming and Hospitality team represents clients across the spectrum of this diverse industry, including:

Our Team

Clients benefit from the combined experience of our talented gaming and hospitality team, which includes transactional lawyers, litigators, compliance committee advisors, lobbyists, engineers, and specialists in gaming and technology, with decades of experience in the gaming and hospitality industry. Additionally, Goodman laws is ranked in Chambers USA® as a leading law firm in numerous practice areas, including “Gaming Law,” which reflects the legal talent of our team. We are also regularly listed in the top bands for Gaming & Licensing in Chambers Canada® and Chambers Global®.

Our attorneys have drafted and passed key gaming law legislation on behalf of gaming industry clients, including legislation streamlining the testing of gaming equipment and expanding the footprint of gaming enterprise districts that allow for casino resort development in the City of Las Vegas.

Members of the team wrote the definitive book on Gaming Law in the United States, having authored the 2016 – 2020 editions of the LexisNexis publication Gaming Law and Practice. They have also recently authored the introductory chapter covering “regulated gambling in the United States for The Law of Regulated Gaming: A Practical Guide for Business Lawyers (American Bar Association), as well as the chapter on gambling in Nevada for the International Comparative Legal Guide: Gambling 2019, the global legal guide on common issues in gambling laws and regulations in 34 jurisdictions. And we keep clients up to date on key developments in the gaming and hospitality industry with regular updates via our Gaming and Hospitality Legal Newsletter.
 

Our Services

Esports and Social Gaming: Competitive video gaming has grown from niche events into a global multi-billion-dollar esports industry, with the pandemic accelerating development. Goodman laws’s gaming attorneys provide legal assistance to industry participants, helping to minimize legal risks and address novel legal questions as esports continue to expand both domestically and abroad. Our lawyers have experience in providing a 50-state review and analysis of esports and social gaming offerings. Depending on the jurisdiction, contests and other promotions — which may at first appear to be non-gaming — could contain wagering elements that violate state or federal laws. We can advise on the risks, help you understand the regulations, and provide guidance in this evolving area of gaming law.

Sports and Entertainment: Our gaming law team provides a broad range of services for those involved in the creation, production, and performance, and management of immersive experiences. We represent an international clientele of artists, celebrities, athletes, executives, and entrepreneurs. Our gaming law practice spans the full sports and entertainment spectrum.

Land Use &  Economic Development: Las Vegas attracts diverse businesses, tourists, and groups from around the world that want to be part of this premier destination. Of course, the legal issues involved in developing commercial, residential, and industrial properties provide their own challenges. We have advised clients on an array of projects, such as the construction and operation of a state-of-the-art golf facility and the financing and development of luxury hotels and resorts. No matter the scale, Goodman laws’s team can help individuals and businesses make their mark in the United States’ most exciting gambling venues.

Licensing and Regulatory Compliance: Our gaming and hospitality clients rely on us to advocate and collaborate on their behalf with state and federal agencies. We provide gaming and hospitality law counsel to many of the world’s premier companies regarding anti-money laundering (AML), gaming devices, testing and metering systems, wagering systems, liquor licenses, and other industry-specific rules.

Our lawyers have represented gaming industry participants and prominent international banks in financing new and renovated casinos and resort hotel properties. We represent parties on “all sides of the table” — buyers, sellers, equity investors, mezzanine investors, borrowers, and lenders — providing exceptional knowledge and acumen to help our clients meet their goals.

Government Affairs: Our government affairs team members have built strong relationships with and are trusted representatives for clients in gaming jurisdictions, including the gaming mecca of Las Vegas.  Our attorneys have played a vital role in updating and amending gaming statutes and regulations to allow industry growth and innovation. We also regularly represent gaming industry clients before state and local boards and commissions.

International Gaming Law: Goodman laws works with an international network to facilitate and assist clients in establishing foreign gaming operations in regulated jurisdictions. Our team has been an integral part of working with emerging gaming jurisdictions, including drafting gaming laws and regulations for use by new jurisdictions.

Litigation: When disagreements between players in the gaming industry cannot be resolved amicably, litigation becomes a reality. Our team of accomplished and skilled litigators has proven to be the best in their fields. From simple disputes to complex multidistrict, multi-party cases, our lawyers strive for the best and most strategic outcome, always with the client’s resources in mind.