High Court to Rule on Parimatch and Abudantia’s Clash Over Turkish JV

The High Court is about to make a key decision in the ongoing legal fight between Parimatch and Abudantia BV. Their dispute stems from their ended Turkish joint venture. At the heart of the matter are claims of contract violations and arguments over intellectual property rights after their partnership came to a sudden stop.

Dispute Erupts as Abudantia Claims Parimatch Breached Contract

Abudantia BV teamed up with Parimatch in late 2020 through its B2B division. They aimed to enter Turkey’s grey gambling market. In January 2021, they launched a website called Paribahis.com. However, less than a year later, Parimatch decided to end the partnership, reported Next.io. They said Abudantia BV had broken some rules. Abudantia BV does not agree with this. It says Parimatch did not follow important parts of their contract. This includes giving 12 months’ notice before ending the contract. In addition, the contract also includes paying a sum of money when ending the deal.

As a result, Abudantia BV has kept running the site on its own and started legal action against Parimatch claiming the company broke the deal. The lawsuit says Parimatch has been talking to Abudantia BV’s business partners saying Abudantia BV is using its brand and intellectual property without permission. Abudantia BV wants money for damages, the Termination Sum, and a court order to stop Parimatch from intervening with its operations.

Parimatch has brushed off Abudantia BV’s claims calling the fight blown out of proportion and based on technical disagreements. The company’s defense centers on the renewal terms of its Trademark Licensing Agreement (TLA). Parimatch says the main issue boils down to whether the TLA is renewed for another three years.

WIPO Supports Abudantia BV in Legal Battle

Earlier, Parimatch asked for a summary judgment to throw out the claims, but Christopher Hancock KC said no in July 2023. The court decided that Abudantia BV’s case had “a real chance of winning.” At the same time, Rillius Holdings Limited filed a separate complaint with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in 2022. WIPO also sided with Abudantia BV scolding the claimant for not revealing the licensing agreement. Still, WIPO left it up to UK courts to make the final call.

The trial, which has been going on in the Commercial Court for a few weeks, is almost over. Justice Dame Julia Amanda Dias will soon give a verdict that could have big effects on both sides.

Parimatch, which started out as a regular bookmaker in 1994, has become a big name in the gambling world. This case shows the tricky legal and operational problems that come up in global gambling markets in places where the rules are not so clear.