As Sportradar and Genius Sports met with stakeholders at this week’s Global Gaming Expo, the two leading sports betting data providers were hit with separate patent infringement lawsuits Tuesday by a prominent sports technology company.
Panda Interactive, the parent company of SportsCastr Inc., filed the lawsuits in an attempt to prevent the data providers from allegedly infringing upon its patented technology for video streaming and betting products, according to the complaints obtained by Sports Handle.
Panda Interactive has launched multiple video streaming products incorporating its patented technologies, including the SportsCastr mobile app for sports fans and journalists, according to the complaints. In addition, the company operates Panda Studio, a video streaming platform it describes as a product for sports media organizations, betting operators, and s.
“The confluence of media and sports betting is essential to the future of the fan-viewing experience,” said Panda Interactive CEO Kevin April in a statement. “Panda developed its technology long before online sports betting was even legal in the U.S. Sportradar and Genius Sports are infringing on our patents and capitalizing on our groundbreaking work.”
Genius and Sportradar own a practical duopoly on the global sports betting data market in maintaining partnerships with the vast majority of the top global professional sports leagues.
The lawsuits were filed several weeks after BetRivers, went live with the platform.
According to the lawsuit against Genius Sports, Panda claims that Genius implemented its patented video streaming technology that can be integrated into a sportsbook’s data feeds and video streams. SportsCastr, according to the company’s website, enables sportsbooks, media networks, and betting s to use their patented technology to stream live video that is “contextually matched” with live bets and in-stream commerce. Unlike BetVision through Genius, SportsCastr does not offer touchscreen wagering on the NFL through a watch-and-bet app.
Genius maintains partnerships with the NFL, the English Premier League, the NCAA, MLB, and the PGA Tour, among others. A considerable percentage of Genius’ league partnerships are exclusive. In total, Genius maintains partnerships with more than 700 sportsbooks, leagues, and teams, according to the company’s website.
Genius Sports declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Lost market share claims 1c4r72
In both lawsuits filed by Panda Interactive, the company accuses the data providers of infringing upon three patents: Patent ‘687, Patent ’218, and Patent ’697.
The first, Patent ‘687 (U.S. Patent No. 10,805,687), relates to “low-latency viewing of broadcast digital content” including the “synchronization of event information with viewed streams.”
Patent ‘697 (U.S. Patent No. 10,425,697) claims priority to the same provisional application as Patent ‘687, according to the suit.
Patent ‘218 (U.S. Patent No. 11,039,218) pertains to “systems, apparatus, and methods for rendering digital content relating to a sporting event with online gaming information,” the suit reads.
All three patents were filed over a three-year period, ending in 2021. In the lawsuit against Sportradar, Panda claims it has lost profits and “suffered irreparable harm, including lost market share and goodwill.”
“Panda’s technology is transformational for sports bettors and sportsbooks. By combining actionable betting odds with any live or on-demand broadcast, Panda’s platform eliminates transaction friction, reduces decision fatigue, and increases fan engagement,” said Andrew Schupak, who serves as Panda Interactive’s chief strategy officer.
Sportradar became the gatekeeper of the NBA’s official sports betting data feed under an exclusive partnership signed in 2021. The Switzerland-headquartered company also has partnerships with the NHL, MLB, NASCAR, UEFA, and the International Tennis Federation. When reached by Sports Handle, a Sportradar spokesman declined to comment on pending litigation.
Both lawsuits were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California — both of which are jurisdictions without legal sports betting.
