Mel Molnick and his patent is back

Scott Lewis and his 1st Technology patents on Internet gambling technology have dominated the headlines recently in bruising but successful encounters with Parlay Entertainment and Bodog, but this week a patents action name from past years was back as Mel Molnick and his Home Gaming Network resurfaced in the business press.

Molnick was at the centre of a number of controversial patent disputes some years back as he enforced his numerous international patents for "remote wagering on live games and events utilizing electronic transactions." This week, he issued a press release with an open invitation for online gambling operators to apply for licenses to continue their activities.

The Internet veteran's statement advised that HGN is now entertaining requests from casino gaming operators outside the USA interested in obtaining a license of HGN's/Molnick's world-wide patents for poker and player-to-player or P2P live gaming events utilising electronic fund transfers for remote players.

Molnick's patents pertain to a business method for remote wagering on live games and events utilising electronic transactions. Specifically, via remote wagering, consumers can place bets from anywhere in the world without having to go to an actual wagering entity such as a casino, race track, sports book, or off-track betting parlour.

Location-free wagering such as this is delivered to consumers via the Internet, satellite and cable television, and wireless technologies. Live games and events include casino-style games, pari-mutuel wagering, lotteries, sports betting, bingo, keno, and more. Electronic financial transactions are executed by credit card, debit card, smart card, as well as e-cash and any other electronic funds transfer.

The patent, first published in the European Patent Office for worldwide notice in November 1999, provides the licensee with full provisional patent protection in a multi-billion a year business.

Patent references are: European Patent No: 0 956 118; United States of America Patent # 5,800,268; Australian Patent #'s 755152 & 757705

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