Trademarking the WSOP

Recently the World Series of Poker released their schedule of events. This means that online poker rooms will start running WSOP qualifiers and many different websites will start promoting the WSOP or running stories about it. Recently Harrah’s went and got a trademark on both the World Series of Poker and WSOP. The company that owns the trademark is Harrah’s License Company. Harrah’s also has a trademark on logo’s associated with the WSOP and on WSOP bracelets.

A trademark is something used by a manufacturer or seller to distinguish its product. The purpose of a trademark is to guarantee that the product is genuine. This trademark can be very valuable especially if it has a global appeal. It is understandable that an owner would want to protect the brand. To be protected a trademark must be filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Once a trademark is granted it is filed and can be searched and found online.

Before Harrah’s owned the World Series of Poker it wasn’t really owned by anyone. While Binion’s Horseshoe always used that term to describe the tournament they did not trademark the name. They also did not operate any sort of WSOP website to promote it. Most of the controversy about the name of the World Series of Poker developed after Chris Moneymaker won it did it become so popular. Now because the WSOP is so popular, lucrative, and owned by a major casino, there is a lot of value in the WSOP name. If you read about the World Series of Poker don’t be surprised when you see an * appear behind the WSOP. Harrah’s has guidelines that it wants people to follow if they plan on writing about the WSOP. This is part of their overall effort to protect their trademark. Harrah's wants to limit the number of time WSOP or World Series of Poker may be mentioned on any one webpage.

If Harrah’s feels someone is violating their trademark they will likely call the person and demand changes to how the trademark is being used or send a cease and desist letter. If the use of the trademark continues then Harrah’s could possibly request a temporary restraining order.