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talking points Follow New Jersey's lead Nevada can't let other states get too far ahead in race for Internet gambling by Richard N. Velotta I CO GU LU ES M T N f Nevada is going to be the dominant state for Internet gambling, it's going to have to make some tough decisions about where it should go from here. Two companies — Station Casinos and Caesars Entertainment — are dealing virtual cards in online poker games under their respective Ultimate Poker and World Series of Poker brands. Others are expected to join the poker party in the weeks ahead. In New Jersey, six casinos began live online poker games last month, and the state has promised to offer other casino games, including blackjack, roulette and slot machines, in the future. Gov. Chris Christie vows the state also will have online sports wagering some day, but that will be decided in court. While Nevada was the first state to offer online poker, New Jersey's larger 20140113_VI06_F.indd 6 Sands would lobby against the expansion of online gaming in the state. While Sands opposes online poker, its sports book partner, CT Technology, the new name of the former Cantor Gaming, is all about mobile sports wagering. MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment are proponents of online poker, particularly on a national basis, but it remains to be seen how aggressively they'd back adding games online. Steve Wynn seems satisfied watching from the sidelines. It's difficult to say, because our state always has been lead dog in the gaming world, but it's time we follow New Jersey's lead. It's time for Nevada to go all in on Internet gaming. While Nevada was the first state to offer online poker, New Jersey's larger population puts it in a position to be more successful. Consumers can take steps to protect themselves and their favorite brands while shopping s most people lead busier lives attending to family and career, the convenience of shopping on the Internet has become an essential part of life. But shoppers beware — the substantial and growing problem of counterfeit goods sold online is at an all-time high. It is easy and inexpensive to create a rogue website to sell counterfeit goods. It is also easy to sell, source and ship the fake products from anywhere in the world while remaining relatively anonymous. Operating in a foreign country allows counterfeiters to keep all their inventory and assets away from the regulatory strength and enforcement of the United States And the manufacture and sale of counterfeit goods is not a victimless crime. Not only does counterfeiting damage a brand's reputation and con6 ing since the state's top race and sports books have upgraded their technology to make it possible to place sports bets with smartphones. The state's best bet for expanding online gaming is to explore offering other casino games. That's bound to be a sticky debate, because the industry is divided on the appropriateness of offering online poker. One side says online poker whets the appetite of players who will seek out the virtual experience in live poker rooms. But there are well-financed voices of opposition. In that congressional hearing, Las Vegas Sands executive Andy Abboud argued against legalizing Internet poker nationwide, and there's little doubt Be on the lookout for counterfeits by Nancy R. Ayala and Laraine M.I. Burrell A population puts it in a position to be more successful. Nevada's growth strategy is to enter gambling compacts with other states that would allow for a broader online poker player base. Right now, it's a small club with Delaware and New Jersey as the only members, but other states are considering poker games too. Nevada's online gaming legislation doesn't specify that Nevada must offer poker only. That was a policy decision state leaders made because it appeared that was the only game to have any chance of winning approval nationally. That, of course, hasn't happened and as a recent congressional hearing demonstrated, it is no closer today than it was two years ago. Nevada has a jump in sports wager- sumer confidence, it costs legitimate businesses billions of dollars in lost sales every year. The lost tax revenue to our local and state governments is also substantial. Counterfeiting is connected to child labor and even funding organized crime and terrorism. Counterfeiters also collect personal and financial data in the process. Fortunately, along with a band of intellectual property attorneys and assistance from the U.S. government, brand owners are doing their best to protect themselves and consumers. Many companies are taking a proactive role in defending their brands by registering and recording their trademarks and copyrights. This allows the government to seize and destroy infringing products before they reach consumers. For the fiscal year 2012, as ranked by total manufacturer suggested retail price, the top three commodity categories for seizures included handbags and wallets, watches and jewelry, and clothing and accessories. Many brands train their employees to spot fakes and report information provided by loyal customers who have come across counterfeit products or rogue websites. As consumers, we can and should take an active role on behalf of our favorite brands. Intellectual property attorneys are also busy fighting the fakes. No matter where a counterfeiter is located, either state-side or in a foreign country, American trademark lawyers are taking an aggressive approach to disable rogue websites, recover cybersquatted domain names and prevent or disable new sites set up by the same counterfeiters. Armed with this information, what can shoppers do to avoid getting duped or to simply do their part to protect a favorite luxury brand? Trust your instincts and beware of the "too good to be true" scenario. Also, seek quality assurances from online re-sellers including comprehensive inspection and authentication procedures. It's also important to avoid opening spam that leads to suspicious websites. And, if you discover a rogue website selling counterfeit goods, report the information to the brand owner or the authorities. Brand owners appreciate and rely on investigatory clues from loyal customers. Authors Nancy R. Ayala and Laraine M.I. Burrell are intellectual property attorneys at Greenberg Traurig, LLP. They counsel clients regarding the protection and enforcement of all intellectual property rights, and also litigate trademark, copyright, counterfeiting and internet related disputes, including cybersquatting. Counterfeiting is connected to child labor and even funding organized crime and terrorism. Counterfeiters also collect personal and financial data in the process. | 13 JANUARY 2014 | 1/9/14 1:24:56 PM

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