Online Casinos Called Out
Two pretty big companies in the online casino gambling industry have been called
out by Cranway Ltd for their alleged violation of copyright laws on Cranway’s
internet gambling product. Both Tote and Playtech have been brought to the
courts for the patent infringement case that concerns very specific auditing and
security measures within an interactive gaming system. The two companies though
have a pretty strong counter-case against Cranway that revolves around the fact
that the patent is unfounded and that the patented software and system are not
“invented” or “new” according to the two online casino gambling groups. The two
companies deny that the case has any merit but are required to allocate lawyers
and resources to fighting the claims and proving their own case.
Basically, the online casino gambling groups claim that the features that
Cranway has attempted to patent are inherent features to interactive gaming
systems, not products exclusively invented by Cranway. The three counter
arguments against the case are simple: the invention is not new is the biggest
claim, secondly, the allegedly patented invention is obvious, and the third key
point emphasized by the online casino gambling groups centers on the fact that
the “invention” is not even that.
The case has already been decided in favor of Playtech and Tote, the courts
found that the patent is invalid within the online casino gambling industry –
had it been valid Tote and Playtech would have been in violation, but as it was
not valid the companies are released from the case without further action or any
levying of fines. This is certainly a blow to Cranway Ltd though who lost the
case because it really came down to a case of semantics, and the gambling
companies had the stronger points at the end of the day. |