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From http://business.timesonline.co.uk/...

July 19, 2005

Beckham betting case dismissed
By Andrew Ellson, Times Online

The likelihood of David Beckham and his Real Madrid team mates names disappearing from betting websites has lessened after a decision in a French court

Gamblers who enjoy a flutter on Spanish football and, in particular, Real Madrid, can breathe a sigh of relief after a French judge dismissed an injunction to stop the use of the Spanish club and its players' names on bookmakers' websites.

Representatives of Real Madrid and its five most high profile galaticos - Ronaldo, Beckham, Raul, Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo - argued that seven online bookmakers including Ladbrokes, Sportingbet and William Hill, should either pay a licence fee to use the names or stop taking bets on the club and its players.

In seeking the injunction, Jean-Luis Dupont, the lawyer who famously won the Bosman freedom-of-contract case and is representing Real Madrid, claimed the bookmakers were using the names for commercial reasons.

But the bookmakers, who worked together to stop the injunction, denied the allegation, arguing that the use of the club's name and listing of its players names in bets is factual reporting rather than promotional.

Real Madrid is very protective of the intellectual property rights of its top players, who include some of the world's biggest footballing stars.

It is unknown whether Real Madrid plans to continue to fight to stop the bookmakers. A full hearing to address the case was due sometime next year, but the decision to dismiss the injunction is a setback to the club and players.

A source close to the case said Real Madrid chose to fight the case in France, despite it representing only a fraction of the online gambling market, because of the countrys notoriously tough privacy laws.

Clive Hawkswood, a spokesman for the Assocation of Remote Gambling Operators, the organisation that represents leading online bookmakers, told Times Online that the case was important because if Real Madrid had won it could have set a precedent.

"This unusual case has seen Real Madrid and its Galacticos pursue legal action merely for the use of club and players' names in betting markets such as first goalscorer bets.

"If the injunction had gone against us it would have encouraged every other footballer and sportsman to take similar action.

"We hope this is the end of the matter."

Graham Sharpe, a spokesman for William Hill added: "We never believed we had a case to answer in the first place."

Afternoon All,

Its been unusually quiet here for the last couple of days. Anyway, thought I'd say hello to break silence.

I see that the Aussies are in deep s..t on 163 for 6 having been on 64 for 4 at one stage.

As I understand the weather may not hold? Makes the draw odds look good IMHO.

Kernow

this games only going to need approx 3 1/2 days play max to get a result. If you look at the stats a draw at Lords between these two sides should have been priced at approx 7-1 prior to the match. Less than halfway through the first days play Aussies are 8 wickets down - draw at 7.4 looks way too short to me (all imho as i laid the draw this morning)

178-8 and England have gone odds on. Will look to lay England at the start of their innings if still odds on as likely to lose a few wickets to the new ball imho

Been at the pub today and watched the cricket from there. Just a passive observer for the moment quite pleased with the performance till the news flashses started coming through.

Draw now 8.4/8.8 and still drifting

Fundy - thanks for the insights - Ah well - es la vida. All green anyway after England's early wickets but the draw is my most profitable result.

Aussies all out before tea and 5 wickets for Harmy.

Greened up my draw bet, layed Emgland at 1.8 but with a 15 tick stop loss

New version of Bet Angel due in the next couple of days. Will allow you to preset a price level to back or lay and it will fire automatically when that price is breached. It will allow you to offset trailing stops and so on against that initial position so would be perfect for trading markets like cricket.

Scrip

would have saved me approx half an hour screen watching today trying to get the right entry point

Seems a lot sunnier and very little swing early on - have closed lay on England at break even

Great stuff England!

Its about time I'm on the right side of a trade having backed at 2.6s when aussies at 64/4. Will let this run a bit longer before greening up

why oh why did i trade out lol

Why oh why did I not green up LOL

Nothing like snatching defeat from the jaws of victory is there. I obviously drunk too much for lunch so am avoiding trading this afternoon adn will just watch the cricket. Sorry, I meant the England collapse.

Cant believe that at the start of the England innings the Aussies are available at 1.20 - wouldve thought 1.07 would be about the right price. England would have to break the world record score to win a test match to win or last 8 sessions (less those where it rains). The price is that the Aussies would only win 5 times out of 6 from this position

England 11-0 are now as short as 8.0 to win - would they seriously win from here 1 time in 8 - personally dont think theyd win once in 100 goes. Have lumped on Australia

Aussies drifted to 1.5 during englands opening stand of 80ish - possibly the most patriotic biasing of a price i have seen in a long while. I lumped on at 1.29 then went out for a few hours - came back England are 4 down and the Aussies are 1.06

Nice one Steve. Haven't been on the game myself. Good to read your analysis though as I am unsure how to trade the cricket. Not that well up on the game really. Perhaps after reading more of your thoughts I might get to do my own analysis. Keep up the good work.