Kimberly M. Copp

Kim’s professional focus centers on general corporate, finance, and gaming law. She holds the position of co-chair in Taft’s Gaming Industry Group. Her expertise lies in advising clients on a wide range of corporate and transactional matters, such as acquisitions, dispositions, strategic collaborations, and equity transactions.

Additionally, Kim acts as legal counsel to both lenders and borrowers in middle-market financing transactions, encompassing acquisition financings, asset-based lending, and project financings.

Within the gaming industry, Kim represents various stakeholders, including casino operators, sports wagering entities, iGaming operators, and HHR operators, as well as suppliers and manufacturers. She handles corporate, financial, and regulatory issues in this sector. Moreover, Kim advises lenders and investors on gaming interests regarding financing structures, licensing, and regulatory affairs.   Additionally, she possesses extensive experience representing municipalities, states, and regulatory entities in gaming-related affairs such as drafting legislation, facilitating negotiations for host community agreements between local government bodies and developers, and overseeing competitive selection processes for gaming ventures.

Casino & Facility Development

• Counsel to a joint venture pursuing a gaming license in New York City.
• Represented the City of Chicago, Illinois in its competitive selection process of an urban casino resort of nearly $2 billion.
• Represented the City of Rockford, Illinois in its competitive selection process for a new casino.
• Representing a casino resort in Illinois on all regulatory and licensing matters for its $500 million casino, including appearances before the Illinois Gaming Board.
• Representing a horse racing and HHR facility in connection with its potential sale.
• Represented clients in the acquisition and development of historic horse racing facilities in Wyoming.
• Represented private equity firm in its sale of four casino assets located in Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
• Advised municipalities in Massachusetts on the siting, negotiation, and regulatory review of proposed casino developments within their jurisdictions.
• Advised clients in connection with responding to competitive bidding processes for casino licenses in Illinois and Pennsylvania.

Sports Wagering

• Serving as gaming counsel to the Maryland Sports Wagering Application Review Commission in connection with its licensing process and decisions.
• Representing sports wagering operators in negotiating market access agreements and licensing across several states including providing legal opinions to payment processors.

Licensing & Regulatory Compliance

• Advising gaming equipment manufacturers and suppliers, sports wagering operators, and casinos in all aspects of state gaming licensing and compliance.
• Representing a payment processor on regulatory matters in Illinois.
• Represented a significant private equity fund on regulatory matters across several jurisdictions relating to its investment in gaming supplier.

Mergers, Acquisitions & Financing

• Represented a national gaming company in a corporate restructuring of its casino holdings.
• Represented private equity funds in casino investments in Alberta and British Columbia.
• Assist gaming clients with corporate structuring and financing for acquisitions.
• Advised a gaming manufacturer on its $800 million syndicated financing.
• Represented a large investment bank in financing a multi-billion-dollar New Jersey casino project.

iGaming & Digital Gaming

• Representing iGaming and mobile sports wagering operators in licensing, compliance, and payment processing matters.
• Represented a large private equity fund in evaluating an investment in a skill-based iGaming platform.
• Issued a 50-state legal opinion for a payment processor on the legality of a social casino platform.

Emerging Products, Sweepstakes & Skill Games

• Advising stakeholders on the legality and compliance of nontraditional gaming models across the U.S.

Government & Legislative Advisory

• Advising state and municipal officials on proposed gaming legislation and local ordinances.
• Representing horse racing industry participants, providing legal advice and assisting with the drafting and review of gaming-related legislation.
• Represented the New York State Gaming Facility Location Board in conducting its competitive bidding and evaluation process for the issuance of four gaming licenses for facilities located in Upstate New York.
• Represent the Maryland Sports Wagering Application Review Commission in connection with its licensing process and decisions.
• Appointed by the Michigan Attorney General as Special Counsel to provide counsel with respect to a proposed takeover bid of a Detroit casino.
• Counsel to the City of Detroit in connection with bankruptcy of a Detroit casino.

Gaming Equipment & Supply Chain

• Represent equipment manufacturers and suppliers on multi-state licensing, compliance, and transactional matters.

Moderator, “iCasino or Brick-and-Mortar: Roadmap to the Future or Dead End?”, Racing and Gaming Conference at Saratoga, Aug. 12, 2025.

Panelist, “Best Practices for the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA),” 2024 ACC Chicago Summit, Sept. 18, 2024.

Moderator, “Horse Racing: The Reports of My Death are Greatly Exaggerated,” Racing and Gaming Conference at Saratoga, Aug. 13, 2024.

Presenter, “Opening Remarks,” Maryland Educational Summit: Sports Wagering – Small Business Participation in the Spotlight, May 6, 2022.

Co-author, “2020 Gaming Bill Passed by the Illinois General Assembly,” Taft Law Bulletin, May 26, 2020.

Co-author, “Summary of Illinois Historic Gaming Expansion Bill – Updated,” Taft Law Bulletin, July 1, 2019.