Gaming and hospitality operations around the world have grown in complexity and scope. Our lawyers are very experienced in dealing with all aspects of gaming, casino and hotel operations, licensing, technology, legislation and regulations at all levels and public policy issues—all of which make gaming and hospitality law one of Bennett Jones' unique niche practices.
With first-hand knowledge stemming from both our transactional experience and our work on boards of directors for major commercial casino operators, our firm has significant experience with the complex, highly regulated gaming environment. We have advised on applications for casino operator registrations and licenses and registrations by officers, directors, shareholders and other related parties as gaming and/or non-gaming related suppliers. We have developed corporate, tax and company organizations of ownership structures and ancillary agreements. From a project finance and development perspective, our work has involved financial structuring of casinos (including Canada's largest casino development, Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort), including negotiating and settling loan agreements and related documentation, gaming technology procurement, real estate law pertaining to construction, development, zoning and land use issues, and negotiating necessary operating and management agreements. Our firm has also advised governments and quasi-public sector entities on gaming policy, project development and technology transformation.
Our team helps clients obtain licenses from gaming regulators for casino operations and computerized gaming devices, handling all aspects of gaming project development, construction and government relations, related gaming technology and transactions, the commercial transactions to push government regulated gaming to the home, computer and mobile devices, and transactions associated with the management and governance of gaming-related operations. We also advise operators on compliance with and enforcement of applicable laws pertaining to gaming, casinos and casino operators, and provide ongoing counsel on the day-to-day operations of commercial and charitable casinos. We counsel suppliers in the gaming industry, advising gaming systems and software developers on protection, enforcement and commercialization of intellectual property, and are experienced in e-commerce and on-line gaming regulatory matters and the growing area of Internet gaming.
Our team is active in the International Association of Gaming Advisors, the American Association of Gaming Attorneys and the Gaming Committee of the American Bar Association’s Business Section.
Our team provides a wide range of legal services and strategic advice to hospitality service providers in connection with market access issues, long-term operating service agreements (including facility management, branding and managed service structures), whether it is a brand new venture or a take-over of an existing business.
We have decades of experience advising on all legal issues faced by the widest range of hospitality industry clients. This means that we are well positioned to not only safeguard their legal interests, but also to guide them as they make business decisions. Our broadly experienced team understands the business of the hospitality service trades, from business, tax, and customs/trade structuring, to real estate, operating contracts, leasing and construction, financing, human resources, merchandise sourcing, supply chain considerations, and then to the marketing/ merchandising/sales side of the business including competition, branding agreements, back-office infrastructure and IT solutions, marking and labelling, consumer product safety, advertising, credit/payment, and protection/exploitation of intellectual property.