ATG launches lawsuit against Svenska Spel over trademark infringement claims
Former Swedish monopoly operators go head to head in legal case over new horseracing betting division
AB Trav och Galopp (ATG) has launched a lawsuit against fellow Swedish operator Svenska Spel over alleged trademark infringement in relation to betting on horseracing.
ATG, which has operated a virtual monopoly on horseracing betting in the period before and post regulation of the Swedish market, filed a lawsuit at the Patent and Market Court in Stockholm on Wednesday afternoon.
The trademark infringement claims centre on the use of “Trot and Gallop” (Trav & Galopp) by Svenska Spel in launching its own variant of betting on horseracing in September, in partnership with French operator PMU under the name Svenska Spel Trav & Galopp.
ATG claims that it has an exclusive right to use the Trav & Galopp name, having done so since 1973, and has registered the trademark, with Svenska Spel acting in breach of this with their own horseracing offering.
“ATG does not mind competition. ATG thinks that competition is good. But the rules and rights that exist must be respected,” ATG CEO Hasse Lord Skarplöth said.
“Protecting our brands is our duty to our owners, Svensk Travsport and Svensk Galopp, and all the tens of thousands in the country who have equestrian sports as their industry.
“ATG is the only gaming company that contributes to the wellbeing of equestrian sports, so this is about securing the future supply of Swedish equestrian sports,” Lord Skarplöth added.
In its suit, ATG has asked that the court prohibit Svenska Spel from using “Trot & Gallop” in all marketing and brand names, with a further fine of SEK1m (£88,500) to be imposed for breaches up to this point.
ATG has also asked the court to oblige Svenska Spel to pay “reasonable compensation” for using the name and any further damage caused to it through its continued usage.
“ATG has had the exclusive right to the trademark “Trot and Gallop” since 1973 by registering its company name with the Swedish Companies Registration Office,” ATG’s legal representative, Gulliksson lawyer Per Ericsson said.
“We claim that Svenska Spel’s current use of “Trav & Galopp” in its marketing of the company’s games on horses constitutes an infringement of ATG’s company name.
“We have made Svenska Spel aware of this, but Svenska Spel has nevertheless chosen to continue with the use of Trav & Galopp in its marketing for games on horses.
“Therefore, we have now chosen to file a lawsuit against Svenska Spel, which will be tried by the Patent and Market Court,” Ericsson concluded.