Panda Interactive has filed separate lawsuits against Genius Sports and Sportradar claiming that the sports tech giants infringed its patent for its “foundational interactive streaming technology”.
The complaints have been filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas and claim that Genius and Sportradar have “unfairly used” Panda’s patent for the capabilities of betting and streaming simultaneously.
Panda’s product portfolio includes the SportsCastr mobile app and the Panda B2B Watch & Bet platform that is used by several sportsbooks and sports leagues.
Genius Sports unveiled its NFL BetVision product recently, allowing users to bet and stream NFL games with integrated betting slips and interactive stats on screen.
Meanwhile, Sportradar offers a similar watch and bet product within its sportsbook provision, allowing operators to offer 400,000 sporting events annually.
“We have made substantial investments in the development of our technology and cannot tolerate having our patented technology used unfairly by others and against us,” said Panda Interactive’s Chairman, Donald Schupak. “No one wants to see their own arsenal used against them in battle.”
Panda stated that it lodged its patents before sports betting was legalized in the US and that Sportradar and Genius Sports are taking advantage of its work to bring these new products into the marketplace.
“The confluence of media and sports betting is essential to the future of the fan-viewing experience,” added Panda Interactive’s CEO Kevin April. “Panda developed its pioneering technology long before online sports betting was even legal in the US. Sportradar and Genius Sports are infringing on our patents and capitalizing on our groundbreaking work.”
SBC Americas has reached out to both Sportradar and Genius Sports for comment. Sportradar declined to comment on the proceedings on company policy grounds. Genius Sports is yet to respond.
