$2 Million – if Sands Can Find Infringers

LAS VEGAS (CN) - Unknown infringers of Las Vegas Sands' trademarks on the Internet must pay $2 million, if they ever are identified, a federal judge ruled.

U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan also enjoined the unknown registrants of dozens of websites from continuing to abuse the Sands' trademarks, in a Jan. 14 default judgment and permanent injunction.

The Sands in June 2014 filed a complaint against the unknown registrants of 35 websites that use the company's Sands trademark, its Chinese equivalent, the Venetian trademark.

The Sands says the websites "falsely affiliate themselves with the Las Vegas Sands Corp. to lure prospective gamblers to overseas online casinos" and "to advertise, promote, and provide online casino services and gambling services."

Las Vegas Sands owns several well-known properties, including the Venetian-Palazzo resort and the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, the Sands Macao, the Venetian Macao, the Four Seasons Hotel Macao, the Sands Cotai Central in Macao and the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

The infringing sites use trademarked designs, including the Venetian trademarked design of a winged lion, a background image of the Marina Bay Sands and mark and other infringing materials on web pages that have Chinese writing and links to other sites

The online casinos offer casino games, such as keno, blackjack, baccarat, roulette and Texas hold 'em, according to the lawsuit. The sites also allow visitors to set up accounts and gamble after providing their credit card or banking information.

The Sands said in its complaint that it opposes legalization of Internet gaming in the United States and is a "strong supporter" of the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling.

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