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Court rules IGT patents invalid
The US District Court for the District of Nevada has granted Bally's motions for a summary judgement in a patent case between Bally and IGT, ruling that IGT's two ‘wheel' patents are invalid, and that even if the patents were valid, the Bally games at issue would not infringe the patents. The court also ruled that IGT's touch-screen, playertracking patent is invalid and that, similarly, Bally's SDS and ACSC iVIEW player-tracking units do not infringe the two asserted playertracking patents.
The Court also found issues of material fact regarding IGT's alleged inequitable conduct before the US Patent and Trademark Office, and ordered that Bally's antitrust counterclaims may proceed to trial.
"The Court's rulings validate Bally's approach to intellectual property and minimise any potential financial exposure for the Company," said Richard Haddrill, Chief Executive Officer of Bally Technologies. "These rulings strengthen Bally's anti-trust case against IGT and leave it as the only significant matter remaining in the case."
