As the International Masters of Gaming Law enters its eighth year, it is appropriate to assess the substance of the IMGL as it exists today and compare the reality with the vision of the IMGL's founding members.

The formation of the IMGL was controversial. It was not welcomed with open arms on the gaming landscape. Its name was considered presumptuous. Its goals were often completely misunderstood. The founding members of the IMGL pressed forward in the face of these obstacles because they observed and felt compelled to address a critical need to bring focus to the practice of gaming law. The result? The IMGL has become recognized as a leader in the gaming industry.

This is a bold statement. Is there substance behind the words? The question in turn begets several basic questions. What is the IMGL? What is the IMGL's purpose? Who are its members? What does the IMGL do?

What Is the IMGL?

The IMGL is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization incorporated under the laws of Nevada. In the spirit of transparency, it has a Board of Directors composed of all of its general members, as well as providing representation on the Board by the remaining membership categories existing within the IMGL.

In the inaugural issue of Casino Lawyer, the official publication of the IMGL, then IMGL President Tony Cabot noted that the founding members of the IMGL shared a similar goal-to raise the professionalism of the practice of gaming law through the academics of gaming law, i.e. education.

Who Are the Members of IMGL?

The IMGL general members are private practice gaming lawyers with at least five years of practical, hands-on gaming law experience. The general member core of the IMGL is enhanced immeasurably by members in a variety of categories-

• In-house legal counsel of casinos, gaming equipment manufacturers and gaming industry suppliers
• Educators
• Regulators
• Accountants
• Consultants
• Young lawyers entering the gaming industry

Today the IMGL has members in 30 countries throughout the world-North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa.

In the United States, the IMGL has members in 28 states and the District of Columbia. Every state boasting commercial casinos is represented in the IMGL. Virtually every state that has Indian Class II or Class III casinos is represented in the IMGL.

The Academics of Gaming

On what basis does the IMGL and its members presume that they can contribute to and enhance the academics of gaming law? This is an appropriate question, and it has a compelling answer-

• Eighty-five percent of the IMGL general members practicing in the United States are listed in the current edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
• Five of the six United States private practice lawyers listed in Chambers Global Guide as notable Band One gaming lawyers are IMGL general members.
• Seventeen of the twenty-four worldwide private practice lawyers listed in Chambers Global Guide as notable Band One gaming lawyers are IMGL general members.

Impressive statistics, but how do these statistics translate to enhancing the academics of gaming law?

The IMGL's Commitment to Education

For an organization as young as the IMGL, its success in the academics of gaming law is nothing less than extraordinary.

• The IMGL conducts two gaming education conferences each year, typically one in North America and one in a non-North American jurisdiction.
• The IMGL publishes Casino Lawyer four times a year. It is the only gaming lawyer organization in the world that fulfills such a publishing schedule. Each issue of Casino Lawyer reaches well over 10,000 gaming professionals worldwide.
• The IMGL has published the International Casino Law and Regulation loose-leaf service.
• The IMGL has partnered with several law schools to publish a gaming law centric Law Review in conjunction with the IMGL's education conferences. Participating Law Reviews include the Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, the University of Mississippi Law School, the Thomas M. Cooley Law School, and the John Marshal Law School.
• IMGL members teach gaming law as part of the curriculum in law schools throughout the United States.
• The IMGL is the official sponsor of, and IMGL members are frequent contributors to, the independently published Gaming Law Review.
• IMGL members have provided substantive gaming articles to a wide variety of United States-based and European-based gaming trade publications.
• IMGL members have authored a variety of gaming-related books, including gaming law text books.
• The IMGL, with the assistance of the Thomas M. Cooley Law School, developed a comprehensive survey of the gaming laws, regulations, and case law of all 50 states of the United States, which will become part of the IMGL website in 2008.
• The IMGL serves as the co-sponsor of, and provides the gaming law speakers for, a number of unaffiliated gaming conferences in the United States, Canada, and Europe.
• IMGL members speak on important gaming law issues at virtually every gaming-related conference in the world.

These are just samples of the academic endeavors of the IMGL and its members. Stay tuned-2008 will see the launch of additional IMGL educational endeavors not already a part of the IMGL compendium.

IMGL Member Services

The IMGL is dedicated to providing a broad range of member services. Through its publication and conference committees, the IMGL is able to successfully facilitate any member's desire to speak on gaming law topics at a wide variety of conferences and to publish gaming law materials in a wide variety of gaming publications.

Melissa Lurie, the Executive Director of the IMGL, oversees member services and serves as the overall coordinator of the IMGL's numerous activities. She stands ready to respond to IMGL member inquiries and requests. Melissa is also a ready source for information about the IMGL for persons interested in pursuing membership in the IMGL. She can be contacted by emailing her at IMGLDirector@aol.com or by calling her at 303-449-9955.

A Commitment Being Fulfilled

Is the IMGL fulfilling its founding members' vision-absolutely and in Aces! No other gaming lawyer organization in the world has accomplished what the IMGL has achieved in the seven short years of its existence.

The IMGL is a team effort overseen by many of the gaming industry's leading gaming lawyers, educators, regulators, and consultants. As such, the IMGL and I, as the incoming fifth President of the IMGL, issue a clarion call to all gaming professionals who are not yet part of the IMGL. Visit the IMGL website at www.gaminglawmasters.com, apply for membership in the IMGL, and take advantage of the multiple professional opportunities afforded by the IMGL to its members-publish, speak, educate and connect!

Robert W. Stocker II
Dickinson Wright PLLC
rstocker@dickinsonwright.com