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Theres’ another full discussion going on at Meister here:
My question at the moment is, presumably affiliate links will not be working. Anyone any news on this?
affiliate links are working if you change the domain name in the link to newbodog.com instead of bodog.com
Yes, new links are working and stats are intact at the new address.
Here are the more interesting implications:
1st Technology LLC was granted patent no. 5,745,379 on April 28th 1998 for a Method for the production and transmission of enhanced multimedia information.
The patent is for an optimisation method that enhances the interactivity of multimedia information. The optimization method includes separating a multimedia information into primary and secondary layers and enhancing that information in the primary layers such that the perceived psychographic information quality is improved. This method has the advantage of providing compression and/or transmission algorithms to maximize enhancement of the multimedia information.
Thus far, the following online gaming companies have been identified as licensees of the patented technology:
Excapsa – Since August 2005
Orbis – Since October 2005 (following a lawsuit by 1st technology LLC against Orbis).
Sportingbet – Since December 2005
Chartwell Technology Inc. – Since December 2005
Playtech – Since September 2006
More lawsuits looming? Very likely.
The moral of the story…. If you want to use a patented technology then license it.
If you think you can just use it without compensation to the patent holder the you run the risk of losing far more then what you might have paid to do things properly.
So this has nothing to do with Bodog ?
As it would seem this is a Playtech Issue ?
Darko Bodog was stripped of their domain names by court order. This was the result of a lawsuit that they lost. The lawsuit was filed because they were using technology that was patented without a license from the patent holder.
A judge awarded the plaintif $48 million dollars and the bodog.com domains.
This doesnt involve Playtech.
This was the result of a lawsuit that they lost.
Which I believe they lost by summary judgment which is a pre-trial loss. I’m no lawyer and please correct me if I’m wrong but I still think legally (bodog) could work up a defense and get the ruling overturned. I doubt it if they ripped someones patented technology off but from a legal standpoint they still might stand a chance in hell. Although considering it was a US judge out of Vegas probably not.
This lawsuit shouldn’t hold up, from everything I’ve read, it seems Bodog had no clue that the suit was even filed.
But in the meantime Bodog willl lose millions as football season is just days away and their prime google links go nowhere.
Not defending the plaintif or passing judgement on Bodog. But this is what’s happened.
I have little doubt that Bodog will appeal the decision, but because the ruling was made in the US it’s going to be an uphill battle. Its probably a battle they could have avoided by licensing the software/technology as others have done.
Professor, this guy thinks that ALL Internet gambling companies have infringed on his patent. It’s total BS, no patent can be that broad. The only reason Bodog got screwed here is because they had no idea they were being sued.
Molnick claims to own a method patent that governs live, electronic betting from a remote location. In other words, the process by which just about every Internet gambling site does business.
A method patent is a controversial and often litigated type of patent that covers a process rather than a particular product. Molnick’s patent was filed with the U.S. Patent Office in 1995 and published in 1998. The patent has since been approved in other parts of the world, including Asia and Europe.
Molnick has been called a kook and an opportunist for making the claim that he invented and patented the idea for Internet gambling. Others have said his patent will have little legal weight in the United States because of the quirks of Internet commerce and the complexities of patent law.
He obviously does hold patents in this area or thers would not have licensed it. I also would imagine he presented his patents as evidence to the court for review.
I hope for Bodog that all this does work out and that they get their domains back, but its going to be a tough battle due to the lawsuit being filed in the US.
I agree, it will be an uphill climb.
But I can’t find fault in Bodog here as it seems they really had no clue this was coming. They thought it was a DNS hijack at first.
I agree Fonzi. Like I said in the other thread this Patent seems pretty Broad. The way its written in patent #5,800,268. Everyone (who is a online casino or book) is subjugated to this law. Now lets say Mr. Molnick would have sued MGM Grand for their online casino is Europe, do you think for a second this court would have given him this judgement? Not on your life.
I thought a U.S. patent does not stand in other territories.
these patent sharks are everywhere and many are so broad and illegitimate that they don’t hold up to further scrutiny.
remember, amazon owns patents on the hyperlink and on shopping carts. a few years ago they made a few rumblings about enforcement and faced massive backlash.
most companies, when faced with a writ by a “patent” holder, usually comply simply to avoid ongoing legal fees, not because the patent is valid. like trademarks, patents are only as strong as how you enforce them.
none the less, sux for bodog.
