American online sportsbetting and daily fantasy sports operator DraftKings Incorporated has reportedly been hit with a federal lawsuit filed by British counterpart ColossusBets Limited concerning patent infringement allegations.
According to a report from the news domain at FloridaNewsTimes.com, the Boston-headquartered firm is being sued in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware over claims that its cash-out feature has been exploiting seven American patents held by ColossusBets Limited. The plaintiff’s action purportedly asserts that these relate to the ‘full or partial buy-out offer made at any time prior to completion of a wagering event’ and are being utilized without its permission.
Pre-emptive picture:
London-headquartered ColossusBets Limited reportedly detailed that it first attempted to contact DraftKings Incorporated about the possible infringement matter in 2018 prior to the defendant’s launch of its cash-out feature. This purportedly came as a number of American states were beginning to legalize online sportsbetting in the wake of the United States Supreme Court’s revocation of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA).
Blanket buffer:
ColossusBets Limited is being represented in its patent fight by multinational legal practice DLA Piper and reportedly disclosed that it now intends to defend its intellectual property rights to the fullest extent of the law. The British operator purportedly stated that it ‘has a global portfolio of patents on sportsbetting and gaming that incorporates cash-out’ features such as ‘whether the cash-out feature is being used by players.’
Pricey potential:
Bernard Marantelli is the man behind ColossusBets Limited and he reportedly told the source that his company intends to pursue all of the damages that may be available with regards to DraftKings Incorporated’s alleged infringement. The entrepreneur purportedly moreover noted that the value of these reparations is likely due to be higher owing to the intentional and international nature of the supposed violations.
Reportedly read a statement from Marantelli…
“We tried to resolve this amicably and gave DraftKings Incorporated ample opportunity to do so. We take intellectual property very seriously [and] this is the next step in protecting our rights and income across the United States industry.”
International intent:
In the United States and ColossusBets Limited reportedly explained that it has already inked analogous licensing deals with iGaming behemoth Bet365 Group Limited and eSports wagering products and technologies provider Esports Technologies Incorporated. Further afield and the firm purportedly clarified that its global patent portfolio covers the nations of South Africa, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Nigeria and the Philippines while it is currently involved in a similar fight concerning its intellectual property rights with Australian bookmaker Tabcorp Holdings Limited.