French Advocate and English Solicitor, Diane Mullenex started her career in Singapore in 1994 and then became a corporate partner with Watson, Farley & Williams. She has worked for more than seven years in South-East Asia, before coming back to practice in France in 2001. Diane specialises in telecommunications, technology and other regulated industries, such gambling. More particularly, she dedicated oneself to commercial, telecom and technology matters and in particular to complex matters requiring the co-ordination of three matters of law. She is also renowned for her specialist knowledge of gaming and gambling law and as such, she has been advertising many of the world’s largest gaming and gambling operators as well as software providers. She advises world-leading telecom companies, suppliers, investors and regulators on Communication ventures. Her work encompasses commercial and communication transactions (such as IT and BPO outsourcing transactions, digital mobile and money arrangements, e-commerce and m-commerce, interconnection, roaming, broadcast and transmission arrangements, distribution). Diane is a frequent and well respected speaker and a regular contributor of articles to national and international gaming publications. She is the Senior Vice Chair of the communication committee of the IBA and a member of the International Masters of Gaming law and the International Association of Gaming Advisors. Diane is a Foreign Trade Advisor appointed by the French Government and was awarded the Insignia of Chevalier de l’Ordre national du Mérite for her involvement in promoting the French TMT sector.In this interview Diane gives us a preview of his session “The Law of the Land: Games or Gambling”.

How is your topic relevant to the gaming industry?

Social gaming sometimes flirts with the offer of gambling products, allowing players to wage virtual money, which has been bought with real money. Given the stringent multiple regulations applicable to gambling throughout the world, any player of the gaming industry should be aware of how far it can market social gaming products without being regulated as a gambling product provider. This should be a greater concern nowadays for the industry, given the string willingness of many online gambling authorities to regulate this specific market.

What’s the one thing you hope delegates get out of your session? 

I hope for delegates to understand how French law is addressing the issue of social gaming and the arguments raised by the French regulator for broader regulations which would affect social gaming. What we will try to demonstrate is that social gaming is not doomed, but that the frontier is getting blurry and that one shall remain cautious in the conception and design of social games.

Why is this subject something you are passionate about?

Social gambling is a fascinating subject to me to the extent that it is at the edge of my legal practice as a TMT lawyer, requiring my expertise on several subjects that I am passionate about: gambling law, Internet business strategy. 

Why choose the Social Gambling Conference as your platform to voice your findings?

I chose the Social Gambling Conference because it is a one-of-a-kind event gathering several market players in order to discuss one of the hottest topics of the business. I think this conference will be a great opportunity to share knowledge and experience on this issue and build upon the business expertise of delegates to deepen the analysis and deliver a great session.

Diane will be speaking on November 16^th at the Social Gambling Conference.