Entain orders Sportingwin to change domain due to similarity to Sportingbet brand
Date: 2024-08-08 Author: Kirill Zagoruyko Categories: EVENTS
Entain, the owner of the Sportingbet brand, has applied to the Malta Civil Court demanding that Bulgarian online betting operator Sportingwin stop using its current domain, arguing that the names are too similar. According to court documents, Entain believes that the Sportingwin brand infringes on their trademark.
The Entain trademark was registered in 2020, when the Bulgarian operator was founded. Sportingwin CEO Miroslav Rashev told iGB that both brands have been successful in different markets so far, without creating conflicts.
Entain claims that it has the right to prohibit the use of similar names that could cause confusion among users, according to its trademark, which was registered in the EU in 2017. In its lawsuit, the company emphasized that it does not want its reputation to be "tarnished and put at risk" by similar brands.
Sportingwin's confidence in an out-of-court settlement
The court initially granted Entain's request to temporarily suspend the use of the Sportingwin domain. However, this decision was overturned after Sportingwin filed its response.
In its statement, Sportingwin requested compensation for the interim measures, citing the lack of legal grounds for such an order. The case is scheduled for a hearing in October, and CEO Rashev is confident that the matter can be resolved out of court.
Representatives of Entain did not respond to a request for comment before the time of publication.
Previous rejection of Entain's claim by a Czech court
This conflict is not the first between the two operators. In February 2023, Entain filed a similar claim with the Arbitration Center for Internet Disputes at the Czech Arbitration Court.
Entain challenged the domain names Sportingwin.com and Sportingwin.net, arguing that the brand was "visually identical to the Sportingbet brand and trademarks". However, the court rejected Entain's claims and allowed Sportingwin to keep its domains.
Thus, the battle for brand uniqueness continues in online betting, where big players are looking to protect their reputation and exclusive rights.
The Entain trademark was registered in 2020, when the Bulgarian operator was founded. Sportingwin CEO Miroslav Rashev told iGB that both brands have been successful in different markets so far, without creating conflicts.
Entain claims that it has the right to prohibit the use of similar names that could cause confusion among users, according to its trademark, which was registered in the EU in 2017. In its lawsuit, the company emphasized that it does not want its reputation to be "tarnished and put at risk" by similar brands.
Sportingwin's confidence in an out-of-court settlement
The court initially granted Entain's request to temporarily suspend the use of the Sportingwin domain. However, this decision was overturned after Sportingwin filed its response.
In its statement, Sportingwin requested compensation for the interim measures, citing the lack of legal grounds for such an order. The case is scheduled for a hearing in October, and CEO Rashev is confident that the matter can be resolved out of court.
Representatives of Entain did not respond to a request for comment before the time of publication.
Previous rejection of Entain's claim by a Czech court
This conflict is not the first between the two operators. In February 2023, Entain filed a similar claim with the Arbitration Center for Internet Disputes at the Czech Arbitration Court.
Entain challenged the domain names Sportingwin.com and Sportingwin.net, arguing that the brand was "visually identical to the Sportingbet brand and trademarks". However, the court rejected Entain's claims and allowed Sportingwin to keep its domains.
Thus, the battle for brand uniqueness continues in online betting, where big players are looking to protect their reputation and exclusive rights.
