Sportsbet draws first blood in trademark fight with Sportingbet

Australian online sports betting operator Sportsbet has drawn first blood in its trademark fight with down under betting rival Sportingbet.

Last month, Sportsbet, the Australian division of UK-listed gambling operator Paddy Power Betfair, filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against CrownBet, a brand owned by Canadian gaming operator The Stars Group (TSG), which planned to rebrand its Australian operations under the Sportingbet moniker.

On Wednesday, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that the Federal Court had granted Sportsbet’s request for a temporary injunction against Crownbet’s rebranding plans. The court evidently found sufficient merit in Sportsbet’s claims that the two brands were substantially similar and that the planned Sportingbet reboot was likely to create confusion among Aussie punters.

A Sportsbet spokesperson claimed the injunction reflected the court’s agreement with Sportsbet’s argument that “consumers will be misled into thinking services offered under a Sportingbet brand are connected or associated with Sportsbet.” The spokesperson vowed that Sportsbet would continue to “take all necessary action to protect its brand.”