Corporate & Securities Law

Poker Antitrust Lawsuit Settled

By David Fischer

On Friday, the World Poker Tour and five professional poker players (Chris Ferguson, Andrew Bloch, Annie Duke, Phil Gordon, and Howard Lederer) settled the antitrust lawsuit brought by the players. According to the WPT Press Release:

In their lawsuit, the poker players challenged WPT?s standard player?s release and contracts with casinos claiming that they violated federal and state antitrust laws. WPTE denied that its casino contracts, releases or other activities violated antitrust or other laws. In settling their dispute, WPTE and the poker players agreed to implement a new standard form release that will be provided to all players at all WPT tournaments and events going forward.

WPTE continues to deny any liability or wrongdoing, but wants to settle its differences with the players so that the tour can focus on its continued growth rather than litigation. No monetary compensation was exchanged between the parties as a result of the settlement.

Card Player Magazine reports:

[The plaintiffs] contended that the release that all players who compete in WPT events are required to sign violated federal and state antitrust laws. WPTE denied that its casino contracts, releases or other activities violated antitrust or other laws.

The release used from the beginning of the WPT gave WPTE the right to use names and images of the players any way they wanted to — from its video games to commercials to its website — without compensating the players. The suing players didn?t think it was fair and for most of them would violate contracts they held with other companies who had paid for the use of their personalities if they signed the release.

WPTE settle the dispute by agreeing to implement a new standard form release that will be used for all players starting at today?s $25,000 WPT Championship event at the Bellagio.

Previous Antitrust Review coverage of this lawsuit can be found here (complaint), here (answer), and here (summary judgement motion).

Technorati Tags: antitrust, poker, WPT, Chris Ferguson, Andrew Bloch, Annie Duke, Phil Gordon, Howard Lederer

Full post as published by Antitrust Review on April 20, 2008 (boomark / email).