GAMING LAW EDUCATION
Olivia Rothe , a law student at UNLV Boyd School of Law, for her paper titled, “Surviving a Negative Ruling for Tribes Under Brackeen v. Haaland: Why IGRA Is Distinct Enough to Pass Constitutional Muster” Jacqueline Vokoun , a recent graduate of UNLV Boyd School of Law, for her paper titled, “Bad Beat: Florida Sports Betting and the Erosion of Fundamental Principles Underlying Indian Gaming Law” Three of the student finalists, Bepko, Neal, and Vokoun, were able to attend the IMGL spring conference in Napa in April 2023, along with the instructors (all IMGL Educator Members) who nominated their papers. During a special panel session on the last day of the conference, each student gave a short presentation on their paper topic to a packed room at the conference venue. The students’ presentations were polished and professional, and well received by the experts in the audience; indeed, many attendees shared their enthusiasm over both the quality of the students’ presentation skills and the relevance of the subject matter. Following the panel, students networked with several conference attendees, while audience members cast their ballots for the best presentation. A few hours later at the luncheon, IMGL President Quirino Mancini praised all of the student competition participants before proudly announcing Jacqueline Vokoun as the “Best Paper” winner, and Victoria Neal as the “Best Presentation” winner, to a resounding round of applause. By any measure, the inaugural IMGL Student Competition was a success. By investing in students who show great promise for future careers in gaming law, and spotlighting the importance of academic courses and programs in the field of gaming education, the IMGL continues to be at the forefront of gambling law and regulation worldwide, both now and for generations to come.
some of the most impactful academic programs and faculty in gaming law, regulation, and policy. The competition design valued both scholarly rigor and practical impact of original student work. Faculty at any university or law school offering a gaming course or program were invited to nominate high-quality student-written papers on topics directly related to gaming law, gaming regulation, or gaming policy. From the student paper submissions, the IMGL Education Committee selected a handful of finalists, based on the quality of writing and research, as well as the value of the paper’s contribution to gaming law practitioners, gaming regulators, and gaming policymakers. From the finalists’ papers, a “Best Paper” winner was chosen by an ad hoc committee appointed by the IMGL President. Additionally, and most novel and exciting for student authors and IMGL members alike, each finalist was invited to attend the IMGL North American spring conference, held this year in Napa, California, and to give a short presentation on their paper topic. A “Best Presentation” winner was selected from the student presenters, based on the votes of the IMGL members in attendance at the conference. Each award carried a cash prize, as well as other recognition through the IMGL’s publications and website. In this inaugural year of the IMGL Student Competition, four finalists were selected by the Education Committee: Aubrey Bepko , a law student at UNLV Boyd School of Law, for her paper titled, “The Tribal Gaming Race Against the Mobile Sports Wagering Floodgates: Utilizing Tribal- Commercial Partnerships to Enter the Market” Victoria Neal , a law student at the University of Mississippi School of Law, for her paper titled, “Should Free Play Be Free From Taxation? The Free Play Tax Debate in the Sports Betting Industry”
STEVEN A. LIGHT IMGL Educator Member & Vice Chair, IMGL Education Committee
KATHRYN R.L. RAND IMGL Vice President & Chair, IMGL Education Committee
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IMGL MAGAZINE | APRIL 2023
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