Q&A with Evan Davis, RCCB: How Effective Gaming Attorneys Drive Business Success and Industry Growth

Businesses today must navigate a maze of challenges - from scaling operations to ensuring regulatory compliance. Beyond these hurdles, leveraging differentiation and strategic partnerships have the power to shape the growth trajectory of both emerging and established players. Regardless, as the industry accelerates at warp speed, staying ahead requires a blend of legal expertise and keen business acumen.

Evan Davis brings this unique perspective, merging his wealth of experience with an in-depth understanding of gaming and sports law across multiple U.S. jurisdictions. Today, as the leader of Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld's (RCCB) Gaming and Sports practice, he has worked with both large organisations and smaller, growth-focused companies to tackle the complexities of regulatory environments and risk mitigation, and then some.

In his conversation with WarriorLab 's CEO, Gali Hartuv , Evan sheds light on some of the most pertinent issues businesses face today, offering invaluable insights on how companies can thrive within sports betting and gaming spaces.

Beyond exploring the need to understand the industry as a whole and help clients further their business objectives as an effective gaming attorney, Evan’s deep understanding of the industry’s intersection between law and business provides actionable guidance for those looking to scale and succeed.

Gali: How did you become involved in the gaming industry?

Evan: In 2015, I was fortunate enough to have been hired to oversee the legal department at Rivers Casino in Philadelphia, and during my tenure there my responsibilities included the rollout of sports betting and online gaming in Pennsylvania.?

Based on the experience that I gained in those verticals, I left to help found SeventySix Capital Sports Advisory where I oversaw their sports betting vertical, and then had the opportunity to join Penn National Gaming as their Deputy General Counsel.?

With nearly a decade of industry experience under my belt, I left Penn in order to serve as outside counsel to companies that are trying to navigate the complexities within the gaming industry.

Gali: What are the biggest challenges facing new companies that are looking to enter the sports betting space?

Evan: I think it depends on what each company is looking to do.?Obviously, new operators need tremendous amounts of capital in order to develop their products, gain market access, and actually scale.?

But for all of the other companies that are looking to be part of the sports betting ecosystem, I think there’s a lot of misperception regarding what the US regulatory regime does and doesn’t require.?

Especially for companies for which sports betting may be an ancillary business, they often seem to think that dealing with regulations is going to be a far greater headache than it actually is once they learn what the process entails.

Gali: What advice would you give a startup that’s looking to gain traction within sports betting or online gaming?

Evan: Differentiate yourself from what’s already out there and be able to clearly and concisely explain your value proposition.

“Increasing engagement” or “attracting new users” are obviously goals for nearly any B2C company, but without any metrics these aren’t really great talking points.?

What sets you apart?? Do you have any data that supports what you’re saying?

Gali: What are your thoughts on what’s happening in the world of affiliate marketing right now and where do you think it will go?

Evan: Obviously affiliate deals have been declining for a time and some really great people have found themselves out of work. I’m hopeful, though, that we’ll see a turning point as affiliates figure out how to target people who have basically been forgotten thus far.?

I personally know a ton of casual sports fans who haven’t engaged with sports betting, with many of them telling me it’s “too confusing” or “not worth the effort of signing up.”?The operators (by and large) haven’t developed products designed for the truly novice sports bettor and therefore affiliates haven’t really been able to market to these potential customers.

Gali: What are your thoughts on the partnerships that have developed between US sports teams and betting operators?? Have they been successful?

Evan: I think they’ve largely underperformed, and I think it’s because the teams are trying to essentially be “half pregnant” with respect to sports betting.?

They’re all willing to have static advertisements, branded lounges, and the like, but they’re not willing to really engage with real-time promotions, even though sports betting is tied to the on-field product more than virtually any of the teams’ other sponsors.?

Sports betting partnerships offer teams to engage their fans in real time and in venue. I believe that as sports betting matures in the US, teams will gain more comfort around truly leaning into these partnerships and we’ll start to see far better results.

Gali: What does the future of iCasino look like in the US?

Evan: It’s a matter of when, not if, we’ll see online casino proliferate across many more states.?

For me, the interesting question is whether the market leaders for sports betting will capture similar share of the online casino market, or if other players will be able to make a significant impact.?

Obviously, the core online gaming customer is very different demographically than the core sports bettor, so one would assume that things like brand awareness won’t be as meaningful as having a robust database of potential online gaming customers.

There are also a ton of companies out there that haven’t entered the space with huge war chests of capital if they were interested in making a big marketing push.

Gali: How do you view your current role as outside counsel to companies looking to do business within the sports betting and gaming space?

Evan: I see myself as an advisor - obviously a legal advisor first and foremost - but more generally an advisor who understands the industry, the players within the industry, and what’s generally been linked with success in the industry thus far.?

I try to give my clients as holistic an approach as possible, because ultimately, they’re trying to maximise their business objectives.?I’m fortunate to be able to merge my business-side experience with my legal background and help them to focus on achieving their goals.

This conversation with Evan Davis has demonstrated that as regulatory frameworks shift, competition intensifies, and both industry and consumer trends reshape player engagement, businesses that fail to adapt risk being left behind. Success in this space isn’t just about compliance; it’s about strategic positioning, agility, and the ability to see beyond the immediate hurdles to seize long-term opportunities.

Evan’s insights highlight the critical balance between legal precision and business strategy, proving that the companies poised to thrive are those that treat regulation not as a roadblock, but as a roadmap to sustainable growth - where the right approach at the right time can mean the difference between stagnation and market leadership.

As the rules of the game keep changing, with competition fiercer than ever, is the industry prepared for its biggest shake-up yet?

Disclaimer: The VIP Topics, Opinions, and Insights presented in this Q&A series are intended to highlight individual knowledge and personal opinions. They do not represent the views or opinions of Gali's Guide or WarriorLab. The questions and answers are designed to stimulate discussion and debate within the context of our Q&A sessions. It is important to note that the responses provided here are not to be considered professional advice or endorsements by Gali's Guide or WarriorLab. Before making any decisions related to the Q&A discussion topic, it is advisable to seek guidance from qualified experts or professionals who can provide tailored recommendations based on your specific circumstances. These discussions are for informational, discussion, and debate purposes only.