Jan
24th

32Red Wins Trademark Victory against William Hill

Following almost two years of proceedings, the High Court of Justice of England & Wales ruled in favor of online gambling operator 32Red plc in the company’s trademark dispute against UK bookmaker William Hill, owner of the 32Vegas branded online casino.

Delivering its judgment, the court ruled that William Hill’s use of “32 Vegas” and “32V” infringed 32Red’s EC registered trademarks as they were similar enough to possibly cause confusion to its customers. The court also ruled that the “distinctive character and repute” of 32Red’s trademark was impaired by William Hill’s infringement.

William Hill’s counter-claim in which it challenged the validity of 32Red’s trademark rights in the European Community and the United Kingdom was dismissed by the court.

The court has not yet made an order on the consequences of its result but 32Red will meanwhile ask for an injunction to prevent the use of 32Vegas marks in the European Community and will be seeking repayment of its legal costs. 32Red will also request an enquiry to assess the extent of damages or profits that has arisen from the infringement.

CEO OF 32Red, Ed Ware, said “We are naturally delighted that the High Court has upheld our claims. This judgment firmly establishes our Intellectual Property Rights and should deter other operators from infringing our trade marks. As highlighted by the judge, we have an excellent reputation as an online casino operator and a strong brand – these are extremely valuable assets in any marketplace.”

32Red’s shareholders will, meanwhile, continue to be kept informed of developments.

Related Posts

Tags: ,

Leave a Reply