According to a Monday report by Lawyerly Media, the Melbourne-based provider spent approximately $244 million in March to obtain the regional assets of British sportsbetting giant William Hill before filing an application last month to trademark the word ‘Sportingbet. ’ CrownBet Proprietary Limited is majority owned by Canadian firm, The Stars Group Incorporated, and afterwards applied to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission for permission to register the name Sportingbet Proprietary Limited.
Citing a report by The Australian newspaper, Lawyerly Media reported that Alan Tripp, who is the father of CrownBet Proprietary Limited’s new Chief Executive Officer, Matt Tripp, previously owned an Australia-facing online sportsbetting operator named Sportingbet before this partnership was offered to William Hill as part of a 2013 deal worth roughly $606.3 million.
Lawyerly Media reported that the regional Sportsbet performance of Dublin-based bookmaking giant, Paddy Power Betfair, has now reacted to its own rival ’s planned name change by filing a lawsuit which would prohibit the re-branding. The antipodean nation’s largest sportsbetting firm, Sportsbet claimed that the planned move would violate its trademarked name on account of how the two monikers are so similar.
In the lawsuit filed on Thursday, Sportsbet declared that the planned move by CrownBet Proprietary Limited will be in ‘flagrant disregard’ of its rights. The Melbourne-headquartered firm also stated that it has operated under its current name for over 25 decades and on line at Sportsbet.com.au since 2013 and that its positive reputation may be harmed when its rival is allowed to re-brand.
Lawyerly Media reported that the authorized action from Sportsbet is seeking a temporary and permanent injunction from the re-branding as well as damages and court costs alongside an order that would require CrownBet Proprietary Limited to draw its trademark application for its ‘Sportingbet’ name.
