IS MEL MOLNICK BEHIND BODOG'S TROUBLES?

31 August 2007

Media reports claim involvement in patent litigation against Bodog - but is this credible?


Continuing and so far unsubstantiated claims that Mel Molnick is the man behind 1st Technologies and its patent infringement suit against online gambling group Bodog are clouding the issue with speculation.

Several online media reports on the litigation between Bodog and California-based 1st Technologies, ostensibly headed by UK academic and inventer Dr. Scott Lewis have introduced the Molnick name without making a credible link to the issue, other than references to past legal actions by the 63 year old innovator.

Las Vegas based Molnick has in the past vociferously claimed to hold patents registered in the United States and elsewhere which cover technologies used in Internet gambling...and he has approached a number of Internet gambling firms with those claims. But as far as can be ascertained he is not linked to Dr. Lewis and the 1st Technologies company.

Among those with whom Molnick and his i2corps/HGN company has crossed swords are Sportingbet plc, Hilton Group, Ladbrokes plc, Cherry Foretragen and Net Entertainment, World Gaming plc, V.O. Group SA, Betinternet plc and Casino Web Cam.

Several major companies, including Playtech, Orbis-Openbet, Chartwell Tech, Wagerworks and Cryptologic have licensed Dr. Lewis's technology going back as far as 2004, but again there is no obvious link between Lewis and Molnick that we have been able to uncover.

Reports that introduce Molnick's name and background into stories based on the 1st Technologies vs. Bodog dispute, without explaining the alleged relationship are often picked up as truth by other media, perpetuating the speculation.

In an attempt to resolve the question of Molnick involvement, InfoPowa approached Bodog PR representatives for confirmation after seeing one article which reported that Bodog sources had claimed that Molnick was the real man behind their troubles. That confirmation was not given, and the confusion continues.

Thus far, attempts to contact Molnick in order to ensure accuracy of reportage have not been successful.

STOP PRESS: As we went to press several online sites were starting retract previous allegations that Molnick was involved in the Bodog litigation.

One site reported: "Turns out we were wrong when we reported that opportunist Mel Molnick stole the Bodog.com domain name from Calvin Ayre's Bodog Entertainment, sorry Mel. Instead, Scott Lewis PhD. from Silicon Valley fame actually took control of the Bodog domain name portfolio after receiving a $48 million dollar default judgment against the online betting giant earlier this month."

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa