Inside Asian Gaming

January 2014 | INSIDE ASIAN GAMING 41 TECH TALK and-mortar casinos. However the degree of benefit will largely be determined by how well those “dual-system” operators can create online gaming sites that seamlessly integrate with their brick-and- mortar properties. Casino operators will also likely be challenged to meet the high expectations of those gamblers we categorize as Online Enthusiasts when these individuals do visit their casinos; otherwise, the potential promise of augmenting brick-and-mortar gaming revenues with additional online gaming revenues may not be realized. Mike Sinoway, managing director, and John Bonno, director, co-lead the Gaming Practice at AlixPartners LLP , a leading global business advisory firm of results-oriented professionals who specialize in creating value and restoring performance at every stage of the business lifecycle. They can be reached at msinoway@alixpartners.com . gaming operators taking action in the US are at a crossroads—continue the risk of operating without regard for the trend in increased regulatory scrutiny or find ways to operate within the Internet gaming regulatory environment that exists today and is likely expanding tomorrow. How soon will we see an application from a state Internet gaming licensee requesting permission to accept wagers in Bitcoin? Could an operator soon offer the first state-licensed Bitcoin- only intrastate casino? While playing ball with the current regulatory environment of Internet gaming in the US may stunt short-term growth, the spread of Internet gaming in the US may lend itself to long- term potential. Reprinted with permission from Casino Journal. Eric D. Frank, associate of the law firm Duane Morris LLP , concentrates his practice in the areas of gaming and regulatory matters for both land-based and Internet gaming clients. Duane Morris has both a national and international presence in the gaming industry. Frank represents casino operators, holding companies, gaming manufacturers/ suppliers, private equity institutional investors and individuals in licensing and compliance, acquisitions and mergers, litigation, bankruptcy and administrative matters. His gaming practice expands beyond commercial casino gaming and includes representative matters in Indian gaming and the lottery and horse racing industries. Frank is a regular author on Duane Morris’s unique Gaming Law Blog. Editor’s note: Footnotes for this article were removed for space reasons. For a complete version of this article with footnotes and citations, please contact the author at www. duanemorris.com.