Bodog Wins Latest Round Vs. 1st Technologies

December 5, 2007

Bodog Entertainment Group, S.A. and the company’s founder, Calvin Ayre have won the latest round in their courtroom battle with 1st Technologies over patents and domain names. Bodog Entertainment Group, S.A. seeks to reclaim its domain names, including BodogPoker, previously confiscated by 1st Technologies.

Calvin Ayre was expected to appear in a Nevada courtroom to examination, but it came as no surprise to many experts and analysts of the case when he failed to appear. 1st Technologies immediately made a motion to hold the online gambling executive in contempt of court.

A statement submitted by the Bodog legal team to the Las Vegas magistrate requested a ruling in their favor on the grounds that Calvin Ayre, nor the Bodog Entertainment Group, S.A., resides in Nevada, therefore should not be responsible to appear in a Nevada courtroom.

Much to the dismay of 1st Technologies, the judge granted Bodog’s favorable ruling and denied the motion to hold Ayre in contempt of court for failing to appear. Calvin Ayre’s high profile status as an executive in the online gambling business could pose potentially dangerous situations to himself were he to have made the appearance.

In related news that could hold significant bearing on the outcome of Bodog vs. 1st Technologies, the legal team of Bodog is seeking clarification by a Washington state court case that seeks to rule on the proprietary ownership of domain names and whether such domains may be seized to satisfy a judgment.

A court in Virginia previously ruled on the same case, determining that domains could be subject to seizure to satisfy a legal judgment. Should Washington state make the same ruling, the impact could be detrimental for 1st Technologies.

The confiscated domains are currently in languish where, according to independent evaluations, they are steadily decreasing in value.

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