Patent
U.S. Patent
5,800,268 is a business method for remote wagering on live games
and events utilizing electronic transactions. The patent was published
in Europe in November 1999 and provides its assignee with full provisional
patent protection until final approval and issuance.
How it works
The live remote wagering patent is comprised of
three parts:
- Remote wagering
- Live games and events
- Electronic financial transactions
Specifically, remote wagering allows consumers
to place bets from anywhere in the world without having to go to
an actual wagering entity such as a casino, race track, sports book,
or off track betting parlor. Location-free wagering such as this
is delivered to consumers via the Internet, satellite and cable
television, and wireless technologies. Live games and events include
casino-style games, pari-mutuel wagering, lotteries, sports betting,
bingo, keno, and more. Electronic financial transactions are executed
by credit card, debit card, smart card, as well as e-cash and any
other electronic funds transfer.
Integrity of the Patent
The patent has successfully been defended internationally.
In April 2000, the US Federal Court District of Nevada awarded a
permanent injunction against Caribbean-based First Live Casino,
which shut down the operation because it infringed upon the patent.
This decision also affected UUNET, a WorldCom/MCI company, which
was forced to stop broadcasting First Live Casino content on the
Internet.
|
