Swedish Poker Association (SPA) sues state-owned monopoly Svenska Spel

The two organizations battle is going for the use of the trademark “Swedish Poker Championships”,  a competition already held online and offline.

Both the SPA and Svenska Spel will arrange online championships in November 2007 with a similar name.

SPA says they have trademark on that name -  “It is very shocking that a crown corporation with monopoly status does not respect the law of trademark,” said Peder MÃ¥nsson, chairman of the Swedish Poker Association.

Svenska Spel says that is a generic name and can’t be a trademark -

“As far as we are concerned, you are not able to protect a trademark as generic as Swedish Poker Championships, since it is too common a concept. You could claim a trademark on a logotype which featured the words ‘Swedish Poker Championships,’ but not on the phrase alone,” confirmed Jacob Lagercrantz, spokesperson for Svenska Spel