Galaxy Entertainment warns of fake web sites

Wednesday 18th of March 2015

Galaxy Entertainment has warned that unauthorized online gambling sites are using the trade names of its properties with the intention of defrauding the public and warned it will take legal action against any individual or group that it finds has infringed its trademarks.

Galaxy said its properties, including Galaxy Macau, StarWorld Macau Hotel and Broadway Macau, have no affiliation with any online gambling and betting sites nor has it “authorized any website, company or person of any origin to solicit, carry out or promote any form of online gambling and betting activities for and on behalf of the group.”

The operator also warned that it would not be held responsible for any losses incurred by punters betting through the fake sites.

It’s not the first case of online gambling sites trying to pass themselves off as being linked to the world’s major casino operators.

In January, a U.S. court awarded Las Vegas Sands $2 million in a case related to online violations of the company’s trademark.

The judge found 35 domains, mostly registered out of China, had infringed LVS’s trademark in various forms, including the use of the logo and images of the Venetian resort.

The sites were giving the false impression they were affiliated to the company.

LVS, which filed a lawsuit last year, claimed that the sites redirected visitors to online gambling sites such as 368.com and 22v.com.

Despite the court win, it’s seen as unlikely that the company will be able to collect the reward giving the difficulty in tracing the ultimate owners of the domains.