Our Gaming and Competiton Experience
Our experience
As recognised legal experts in the gaming and competition sector, we have significant experience advising UK and international clients in remote gambling, software supply, lotteries, prize drawers, competitions and fundraising. This extends to licensing and gambling in members’ clubs and pubs, betting offices and casinos.
We also support clients in matters regarding Gambling Commission compliance audits, regulatory investigations, licence reviews, money laundering regulations and consumer protection legislation. In addition, we provide legal advice to banks, payment processors and social media platforms on gaming and competition-related products and on relevant advertising standards.
Two of our lawyers are members of the International Masters of Gaming Law, a global organisation recognising leading experts in gaming law and regulation. Their experience includes representing a market-leading provider of slots and gaming entertainment in the UK and several prize competition websites. They have also authored legal opinions to secure or maintain RMG approval.
Online Betting and Gaming
For businesses offering remote gambling services, our team provides expert legal guidance to ensure full compliance. Their services include:
- Remote Operating Licence applications for online casinos, betting, bingo, and lotteries.
- Advice on software licensing, including game development and supply.
- Compliance with Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice and UK consumer protection laws.
- Support for international operators entering the UK market.
- Ongoing legal updates and risk management for online platforms
Operating Licences
- We support clients with the complex process of obtaining and maintaining operating licences for gambling businesses. This includes:
- Preparation and submission of licence applications, including supporting documentation.
- Advice on B2C and B2B remote operating licences, and game host licences.
- Compliance with AML, GDPR, and consumer protection laws.
- Support for combined licences covering multiple gambling activities.
- Ongoing regulatory compliance, including updates to policies and risk assessments
“Gaming sector expert Andrew Cotton is a key contact for gambling licensing matters.”
Legal 500, 2025
Our Corporate Experience
Our corporate team work alongside our licensing and regulatory lawyers to provide a comprehensive level of service to businesses in the competition and gambling sectors. We pride ourselves on looking after the everyday legal needs of clients and not just complex transactional requirements.
We advise on a range of corporate matters including:
- Company formations, governance and secretarial services
- Cross border transactions
- Acquisitions and disposals of businesses and assets
- MBOs and MBIs
- Joint ventures and other forms of collaboration arrangements
- Employee incentive schemes
- Share option arrangements
- Group reorganisations
- Corporate borrowing
- Shareholder agreements
“The Irwin Mitchell corporate team provides exceptional commercial support with our acquisitions. They are both competent and professional, but also easy to work with and provide focused advise. These qualities run across the team – both associates and partners – so we feel reassured whoever is acting on our transactions.”
Legal 500, 2024
Commercial Support
In addition to our national corporate group, our team of Commercial lawyers have extensive expertise in advising on all aspects of contract drafting and negotiation. This includes confidentiality agreements, Terms and Conditions, procurement, outsourcing and supply chain management for goods and services. They have a strong focus on the commercial aspects of e-commerce as well as software licensing, data protection, intellectual property and brand protection.
Working with AI
We have also developed a significant level of expertise in advising clients on AI related legal and regulatory issues, supporting them as they navigate this evolving technological landscape. Our advice in this area spans a range of sectors, from creative agencies and IT suppliers to retail and education. We’ve supported businesses in drafting AI policies, manage risks regarding generative AI and advised from an EU perspective under the EU AI Act. Our new Brand Accelerator service, delivered by the IP team, is a further example. This uses a game changing AI-powered analysis tool to help clients protect their brand and trade mark portfolio around the world. New services driven by new technologies delivering a powerful impact for our clients.
Our AI work in action includes advising:
- a creative agency on an exclusive tie up with a creative AI provider for assessing and grading the likely success of advertising campaigns.
- a creative agency on terms for selling third party AI services to a client. This included identifying associated risks and achieving flow through of the AI system’s terms and conditions.
- on the use of generative AI system for producing marketing artwork and issues around the existence of intellectual property, its ownership, infringement risks and risk mitigation steps.
- on protecting image and likeness to avoid risk of AI deepfakes.
- a provider of digital supply chain solutions on their data protection compliance when developing and implementing an AI solution for their customers and training that AI solution.
- on responding to an AI use policy auditing questionnaire raised by a customer to risk assess the use of AI in service provision.