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Entain, the global betting giant, has lost its case to block the trademark application of the Italian company Sportbet. The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) decided that the name “Sportbet” is too general to be owned by any one company and does not create confusion with Entain’s “Sportingbet” brand.
EUIPO Says Sportbet and Sportingbet Are Not Too Similar
Entain had argued that the name Sportbet was too close to Sportingbet and that people might think both brands are connected. The company said this could hurt Sportingbet’s identity and confuse customers.
But the EUIPO disagreed. They explained that the words “sport” and “bet” are commonly used in the gambling industry and don’t stand out as unique. Since many betting companies use these words, no one business can claim full ownership over them.
The office also said that even if the services are the same, the names are still not confusing enough to cause a problem for users.
Entain’s Extra Arguments Didn’t Work
Entain also tried to prove that Sportingbet is a well-known brand in the EU and deserves stronger protection. They shared documents like app listings, financial reports, and marketing materials to support their claim.
However, the EUIPO said this evidence wasn’t enough. Most of it was from Entain’s own files and not supported by outside sources. Also, many of the materials were focused on the UK market, which is no longer part of the EU, and so couldn’t be considered in this case.
Entain also pointed out that Sportingbet was used in countries like Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Malta, Portugal, and Romania, hoping that this would help their case. But again, the EUIPO said this use was limited and did not show a strong presence across the EU, which is needed to block an EU-wide trademark.
Final Result: Sportbet Wins
In the end, the EUIPO rejected all of Entain’s claims and gave full approval to Sportbet’s trademark application. The office also ordered Entain to pay €300 to Sportbet to cover legal expenses.
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