MGM Resorts in domain name battle with online casino
MGM Resorts, the owner of a Las Vegas hotel casino, has taken on an alleged cybersquatter who is using livemgm.com to operate an online casino.
Filed at the US District Court for the District of Nevada on Thursday, March 9, MGM accused the unnamed cybersquatter of infringing its trademarks.
MGM owns and operates more than 20 resort properties across the US and abroad, including the MGM Grand hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
According to the claim, MGM and its predecessors have used the ‘MGM’ trademark since 1973 in connection with a wide variety of goods and services, including casino services.
The company owns the trademark ‘MGM’ for classes 41 and 42 and a logo depicting a circular lion head.
MGM’s primary website is mgmresorts.com, although it maintains other websites for its individual properties.
The cybersquatter is accused of incorporating MGM’s trademarks, including the lion logo, for the purpose of “impersonating MGM and trading off of the substantial fame goodwill and consumer recognition” MGM has acquired.
MGM said that the cybersquatter is using the domain to operate an online casino using the MGM marks.
“Notably, livemgm.com’s home page even contains a false copyright notice at the bottom of the home page, stating Copyright MGM Resorts International,” said the claim.
The resort operator accused the cybersquatter of pretending to be MGM in a bid to “lure gamblers to gamble at its illicit website”.
MGM is seeking injunctive relief against the cybersquatter, transfer of the domain name, compensatory and punitive damages, and attorneys’ fees and costs.
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