William M. Gantz

is a versatile lead trial lawyer with nationwide experience representing manufacturing, gaming, technology and insurance clients in intellectual property and commercial litigation, including patent infringement, trade secret, consumer class action and appeals.

Mr. Gantz is a well-known speaker and authority on gaming law in the US. Since 2002, he has represented internet and mobile gaming clients in patent infringement litigation, provided patent landscape and freedom-to-operate analyses and advised on state and federal gambling law. Mr. Gantz regularly provides counsel on intellectual property and regulatory compliance matters to start-ups and digital entertainment businesses offering igaming, social gaming, pay-to-play or freemium games, fantasy sports, esports, sports betting, skill games, sweepstakes, retail product promotions and lottery tickets. His gaming clients include those utilizing cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, ICO's and tokens. Mr. Gantz's pro bono work regularly involves assisting charitable organizations with events or fundraising involving games, contests or raffles.

Mr. Gantz has extensive experience seeking temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions or defending against them, particularly in actions involving trade secret misappropriation, confidentiality agreements, covenants not to compete, the Defend Trade Secret Act (DTSA) and Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA).

Mr. Gantz is highly experienced in shareholder rights litigation involving closely held corporations and limited liability companies, and has successfully tried cases for oppression, forced buyouts for fair value and dissolution, as well as shareholder derivative claims for breach of fiduciary duty and corporate waste.

Mr. Gantz negotiates and drafts commercial agreements such as licensing agreements, website development and hosting agreements, asset purchase agreements, limited liability company equity transactions, distribution and sales representative agreements, non-disclosure agreements, and employment and separation agreements.

Resume

Experience

•Duane Morris LLP
- Partner, 2020-present
•Dentons US LLP
- Partner, 2007-2020
•DLA Piper LLP
- Partner, 1997-2007
•Bollinger Ruberry & Garvey
- Associate, 1990-1997

Civic and Charitable Activities

•SquashBusters Urban Squash - Providence

Publications

Selected Publications

•Author, Illinois Supreme Court Finds Daily Fantasy Sports to Be Legal, Rejects DFS Loser's Gambling Loss Recovery Act Claim, Duane Morris Alert, May 1, 2020
•Co-author, Governor Returns Virginia Gambling Legislation with Amendments, Including Tax for COVID-19 Fund, Duane Morris Alert, April 17, 2020
•Co-author, Massachusetts Sports Wagering Bill Expected to Be Approved by July, Duane Morris Alert, April 1, 2020
•Co-author, Virginia General Assembly Passes Expansive Gambling Legislation, Duane Morris Alert, March 17, 2020

•Co-author, Roundtable Discussion with the Experts: Official Sports Data and Sports Betting Royalties, Gaming Law Review, April 25, 2019

•Author, US: Tipping Point?, InterGaming Law, December 4, 2017

•Author, Gaming in the United States (Massachusetts), Thomson Reuters/Practical Law - Gaming Law Global Guide, November 1, 2016 (updated July 2019)

•Author, Less Bang! for Your Copyright Buck: DaVinci v. Ziko Reaffirms the Limitations of Copyright to Protect Games, E- Commerce Law Reports, Volume 16, Issue 03, 2016

•Co-author, Legal Update re Pokerstars 'Zoom Poker' 573 application, May 9, 2014

•Author, The US as an Emerging Market: The Proliferation of Legal Intrastate Nonsport Internet Gambling and Related Financial Transactions Under UIGEA, InterGaming Law, September 27, 2013

Speaking Engagements

Selected Speaking Engagements

•Moderator, The Convergence of Gaming and Gambling: From Daily Fantasy Sports to Esports and Peer-to-peer Betting on Skill Games, 2019 IAGA International Gaming Summit, Half Moon Bay, June 6, 2019

•Panelist, Motion: We Need to Redefine Gambling vs. Gaming,” ICE North America, Boston, May 14, 2019

•Co-author, Roundtable Discussion with the Experts: Official Sports Data and Sports Betting Royalties, Gaming Law Review, April 25, 2019

•Panelist, “Creating a Sustainable Sports Betting Market - Policy Considerations for Newly Regulated Jurisdictions,” ICE VOX, London, February 4, 2019

•Panelist, “The Americas Roundtables,” ICC/WrB Segment at ICE VOX, London, February 4, 2019

•Speaker, U.S. vs. Global Markets - Exploring the Attractiveness of Us Legal Sports Betting Market for Global Sports Book Brands and Technology Providers, 2018 ICE Sports Betting USA, November 28, 2018

•Panelist, Gambling Laws and Regulations in U.S.: Significant Issues and Developments, Knowledge Group Live Webinar, March 30, 2017

•Panelist, The Rapidly Changing Lottery Landscape, International Association of Gaming Advisors’ 2017 International Gaming Summit, New York, June 1, 2017

•Panelist, The Latest in Regulation of Online Skill Games and Online Sports Manager Games in the US and EU, International Association of Gaming Advisors’ 2017 International Gaming Summit, New York, May 30, 2017

•Panelist, Intellectual Property Considerations for Entering Online Gaming Markets, International Masters of Gaming Law 2016 Autumn Conference, Dublin, October 24, 2016

•Panelist, Role of the Regulator, IMGL Masterclass, National Council of Legislators from Gaming States, Boston, Summer Meeting 2016, July 31, 2016

•Speaker, “Best Practices in Recognizing and Protecting Trade Secrets,” Dentons CLE, University of Chicago Gleacher Center, Chicago, June 6, 2016

•Panelist, ESports and Fantasy Sports Regulation and Legal Impact Update, ICE Totally Gaming 2016, London International Masters of Gaming Law Masterclass, February 3, 2016

•Moderator, Hot Topics in U.S. Online Gaming, C5 International Online Gaming Forum, London, February 1, 2016

•Speaker, Clarifying Gaming's Legal Landscape, 2015 World Gaming Executive Summit (WGES), Barcelona, July 6, 2015

•Speaker, The Emerging Market of Digital Games, Online Contests and Remote Gambling, Dentons CLE, University of Chicago Gleacher Center, Chicago, June 5, 2015

•Panelist, Investigation of New Opportunities in Emerging Markets, 2014 furtureigaming.com (Worldwide Business Research), London, December 4, 2014

•Moderator, U.S. Regulatory Scheme and Emerging Market Issues, KPMG eGaming Summit on the Isle of Man, November 11, 2014

•Panelist, Lessons Learned From the New Entrants and Next Steps in to the U.S. Market, 2014 World Gaming Executive Summit (WGES), Barcelona, July 9, 2014

•Moderator, Regulatory Stories Across the Atlantic, 2014 World Gaming Executive Summit (WGES), Barcelona, July 8, 2014

•Panelist, Gaminglaw.eu Update: Clarifying Gaming's Legal Landscape -Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and the US, 2014 World Executive Gaming Summit, Barcelona, July 7, 2014

•Speaker, Time to Fight the Patent Trolls: Learn How One of the Leading Sportsbooks Beat the Lottotron Patent, igaming Business Webinar, March 31, 2011

•Panelist, Sports, Sponsorship & Gambling, World Sports Law Report Seminar, March 7, 2007, London