Jaime Rivera Emmanuelli is an accomplished gaming law attorney with over 10 years’ experience within the public and private sector. Jaime guides gaming businesses and businesses within the gaming industry through various regulatory and compliance hurdles throughout the United States and Latin America.
Immediately prior to joining Saiber, Jaime served as the Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission where he led the oversight of all horse racing activity, land-based casinos, route machines, sports betting, e-sports, and fantasy contests. As Executive Director, Jaime planned, coordinated, and supervised all the agency’s administrative and operational activities and was responsible for the implementation of significant new public policy, including the Government of Puerto Rico Gaming Commission Act. In addition, while at the Commission, Jaime was instrumental in the launch of online sports betting in Puerto Rico. Previously, Jaime served as the Deputy Executive Director of the Commission, and as the Deputy Horse Racing Administrator, where he directed all operational and administrative activity.
At Saiber, Jaime advises casinos, gaming manufacturers, interactive online gaming operators, technology providers, and sportsbook operators in an array of corporate, regulatory and compliance matters. He helps guide his clients in the expanding United States and Latin American gaming markets. Jaime plays a key role in advising European and North American gaming operators in the entry of the Caribbean, Central American, and South American gaming markets. Jaime also provides non-gaming government legal and administrative consulting services.
In addition to his role with the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission, Jaime has held several other government positions throughout his career. Jaime acted as the Legal Director for the Puerto Rico Land Administration. In this role, Jaime led the agency which promotes the economic, social, and urban development in Puerto Rico, and oversaw all legal affairs impacting the office. Moreover, Jaime oversaw the legal affairs for the Office of the Inspector General for the Government of Puerto Rico.
Upon graduation from law school, Jaime entered private practice where he advised his clients in a range of civil, criminal, and administrative law and small business counseling.
Jaime served as an Intern with the United States Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indians Affairs where he assisted in the distribution of federal funding to over 200 Native American Tribes across the United States. Jaime received his B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez and his J.D. from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law.
Jaime is fluent in both English and Spanish and regularly speaks at international gaming conferences, including the International Masters of Gaming Law’s Spring and Autumn Conferences, the SBC Latin American Conferences, and the Ibero-American Gaming Conference.