Background
Delivers comprehensive gaming law expertise across jurisdictions, guiding operators and investors through licensing and compliance challenges. Provides strategic insight on complex tribal gaming matters.
Melissa Thevenot focuses her practice on advising national and international operators, suppliers and investors navigating multijurisdictional gaming compliance frameworks, including sports wagering and iGaming. She regularly counsels clients on the intersection of gaming law with mergers and acquisitions, private equity and financing arrangements, and works closely with them to build regulator relationships and implement compliant market entry and operating strategies.
Leveraging her regulatory insight, Melissa helps clients and their deal teams close sophisticated transactions in highly regulated environments, managing licensing, background investigations and regulatory issues arising from layered ownership, investment and lending structures. She also brings additional depth through her experience with tribal organizations, including advising Indian gaming enterprises on compliance with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, fee-to-trust applications, acquisitions for tribal land recovery, federal recognition and Indian lands gaming eligibility.
Before joining the firm, Melissa served as a staff attorney at the National Indian Gaming Commission and worked within the Department of the Interior’s Office of Indian Gaming, gaining a deep understanding of federal regulatory processes impacting tribal gaming.
Insights & Publications
Insights & Publications
News
News
Credentials
Education
- J.D., 2017, Washington University School of Law
- B.A., 2012, University of Maryland, College Park
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- New Jersey
- New York
Memberships
Board Member, Native American Bar Association of D.C., 2018-2020
Recognition
AWARDS
“Melissa is very tactical and knowledgeable.” – Chambers USA, 2024
“Accessibility and willingness to help are huge qualities of Melissa. She also has extremely strong subject matter knowledge and ability.” – Chambers USA, 2023
New Leader of the Bar, New Jersey Legal Awards, 2025
Chambers USA, Associates to Watch, 2022-2025
