With the upcoming London 2012 Olympic Games on the horizon, many are anticipating the various edges that the competition has to offer. Not only are there a multitude of sporting events and individual feats to partake in, there is also the delight in another side of the event.
As with many sports in the country, gambling is a big event that helps many fans to experience more fun, thrill and enjoyment out of the events that take place. Ranging from every type of sport available in the country, strict regulation makes it much harder to bend the rules in your favour, adding fairness to each punters wager.
New guidelines have been put in place with relation to the upcoming Olympic games which could see gambling operators risk infringing the rights of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) if they deem certain acts as necessary infringements. A 9 page guidelines was released, stating various precautious and restrictions to gambling operators. According to the new guidelines, operating dedicated Olympics betting microsites or even promoting special offers in conjunction with bets on Games events could be considered infringement.
The guidelines state that the gambling operators are prohibited from using “any of the protected Game marks” other than “within factual statements” and that they “must not produce any promotions, adverts, products, special offers, websites, or other promotional media or public relations which suggest or imply that [they are] associated with the Games or that a Games Bet is an official product of the Games.”
There are further restrictions which place infringement within the use of certain words together. Up to a 20,000 pound fine could be received by advertising the terms ‘Games’, ‘2012’ or ‘Twenty twelve’ with ‘Gold’, ‘Silver’ or ‘Bronze’, amongst a selection of other terms. Despite this however there is some leniency if legitimately used in only select circumstances.
“Operators can make statements of fact which refer to the Games in the context of providing information about Games Bets, provided that the statements are informative and proportionate, rather than for promotional purposes (i.e. references should be limited to the basic information which clients would need to know to decide whether to make a bet; for example, ‘Bets on The Olympics available here’ or ‘Hundreds of bets on Olympic events including Football, Tennis and Athletics’),” the LOGOC guidelines stated.
There are further restrictions, limitations and descriptions of other infringements available within the guideline, and as such, LOGOC is expecting to be particularly vigilant during 2012 Olympic Games.
There is still much apprehension over the event itself, as many are still reeling over the recent riots which caused mass panic amongst the country and anxiousness for the globe in the lead up to the Olympic Games and the country’s ability to handle them.
Source: Out-Law.com
