Navasard Limited v mr anton
WIPO Case No. D2024-4178
•27-11-2024
| ARBITRATION AND MEDIATION CENTER |
ADMINISTRATIVE PANEL DECISION
Navasard Limited v. mr anton
Case No. D2024-4178
1. The Parties
Complainant is Navasard Limited, Cyprus, represented internally.
Respondent is mr anton, Hong Kong, China.
2. The Domain Name and Registrar
The disputed domain name <1xpoker.com> (the “Domain Name”) is registered with NameCheap, Inc. (the
“Registrar”).
3. Procedural History
The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the “Center”) on October 10, 2024.
On October 11, 2024, the Center transmitted by email to the Registrar a request for registrar verification in
connection with the Domain Name. On October 11, 2024, the Registrar transmitted by email to the Center
its verification response disclosing registrant and contact information for the Domain Name which differed
from the named Respondent (Redacted for Privacy) and contact information in the Complaint. The Center
sent an email to Complainant on October 14, 2024, providing the registrant and contact information disclosed
by the Registrar, and inviting Complainant to submit an amendment to the Complaint. Complainant filed an
amendment to the Complaint on October 15, 2024.
The Center verified that the Complaint together with the amendment to the Complaint satisfied the formal
requirements of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Policy” or “UDRP”), the Rules for
Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Rules”), and the WIPO Supplemental Rules for
Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Supplemental Rules”).
In accordance with the Rules, paragraphs 2 and 4, the Center formally notified Respondent of the Complaint, and the proceedings commenced on October 18, 2024. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5, the due date for Response was November 7, 2024. Respondent did not submit any response. Accordingly, the
Center notified Respondent’s default on November 8, 2024.
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The Center appointed Robert A. Badgley as the sole panelist in this matter on November 13, 2024. The Panel finds that it was properly constituted. The Panel has submitted the Statement of Acceptance and Declaration of Impartiality and Independence, as required by the Center to ensure compliance with the
Rules, paragraph 7.
4. Factual Background
Complainant, based in Cyprus, operates an online gaming business. Complainant owns the domain name
<1xbet.com>, which it registered on September 1, 2006, and has used that domain name to host its
commercial gaming website.
Complainant holds European Union trademark registrations for the word mark 1XBET (Reg. No. 014227681,
registered on September 21, 2015) and the design mark 1XBET (Reg. No. 013914254, registered on July
27, 2015).
The Domain Name was registered on May 21, 2014. The Domain Name resolves to a website that appears to offer gaming services.
On October 3, 2024, Complainant’s counsel sent a cease-and-desist missive to the Registrar, asserting received no response to this missive.
5. Parties’ Contentions
A. Complainant
Complainant contends that it has satisfied each of the elements required under the Policy for a transfer of the
Domain Name.
B. Respondent
Respondent did not reply to Complainant’s contentions.
6. Discussion and Findings
Paragraph 4(a) of the Policy lists the three elements which Complainant must satisfy with respect to the
Domain Name:
(i) the Domain Name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which
Complainant has rights; and
(ii) Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the Domain Name; and
(iii) the Domain Name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.
A. Identical or Confusingly Similar
It is well accepted that the first element functions primarily as a standing requirement. The standing (or threshold) test for confusing similarity involves a reasoned but relatively straightforward comparison between the Complainant’s trademark and the disputed domain name. WIPO Overview of WIPO Panel Views on Selected UDRP Questions, Third Edition, (“WIPO Overview 3.0”), section 1.7.
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The Panel finds that Complainant has rights in the mark 1XBET through registration demonstrated in the record. The Panel also finds that the Domain Name is confusingly similar to the 1XBET mark. Notwithstanding the substitution of the gaming word “poker” for the gaming word “bet,” the dominant portion of the trademark – 1X – is clearly recognizable within the Domain Name.
Complainant has established Policy paragraph 4(a)(i).
B. Rights or Legitimate Interests
Pursuant to paragraph 4(c) of the Policy, Respondent may establish its rights or legitimate interests in the
Domain Name, among other circumstances, by showing any of the following elements:
(i) before any notice to you [Respondent] of the dispute, your use of, or demonstrable preparations to
use, the Domain Name or a name corresponding to the Domain Name in connection with a bona fide offering
of goods or services; or
(ii) you [Respondent] (as an individual, business, or other organization) have been commonly known by
the Domain Name, even if you have acquired no trademark or service mark rights; or
(iii) you [Respondent] are making a legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the Domain Name, without
intent for commercial gain to misleadingly divert consumers or to tarnish the trademark or service mark at
issue.
The Panel concludes that Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in connection with the Domain knowledge of Complainant’s mark when registering the Domain Name.
Name. Respondent has not come forward in this proceeding to articulate a reason for registering the
On this undisputed record, the Panel finds it more likely than not that Respondent registered the Domain
Name in order to divert Internet traffic to Respondent’s website by creating consumer confusion. Such a use
of the Domain Name does not invest Respondent with rights or legitimate interests vis-à-vis the Domain
Name.
Complainant has established Policy paragraph 4(a)(ii).
C. Registered and Used in Bad Faith
Paragraph 4(b) of the Policy provides that the following circumstances, “in particular but without limitation,” are evidence of the registration and use of the Domain Name in “bad faith”:
(i) circumstances indicating that Respondent has registered or has acquired the Domain Name primarily
for the purpose of selling, renting, or otherwise transferring the Domain Name registration to Complainant
who is the owner of the trademark or service mark or to a competitor of that Complainant, for valuable
consideration in excess of its documented out of pocket costs directly related to the Domain Name; or
(ii) that Respondent has registered the Domain Name in order to prevent the owner of the trademark or
service mark from reflecting the mark in a corresponding domain name, provided that Respondent has
engaged in a pattern of such conduct; or
(iii) that Respondent has registered the Domain Name primarily for the purpose of disrupting the business
of a competitor; or
(iv) that by using the Domain Name, Respondent has intentionally attempted to attract, for commercial
gain, Internet users to Respondent’s website or other online location, by creating a likelihood of confusion
with Complainant’s mark as to the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement of Respondent’s website
or location or of a product or service on Respondent’s website or location.
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The Panel concludes that Respondent registered and used the Domain Name in bad faith under the Policy. The Panel incorporates its discussion above in the “Rights or Legitimate Interests” section. On this undisputed record, the Panel finds that Respondent more likely than not targeted Complainant when registering the Domain Name, and has used the Domain Name for illegitimate commercial gain by seeking to divert Internet traffic to Respondent’s own site. This constitutes bad faith registration and use within the meaning of the above-quoted Policy paragraph 4(b)(iv).
Complainant has established Policy paragraph 4(a)(iii).
7. Decision
For the foregoing reasons, in accordance with paragraphs 4(i) of the Policy and 15 of the Rules, the Panel orders that the Domain Name <1xpoker.com> be transferred to Complainant.
/Robert A. Badgley/
Robert A. Badgley
Sole Panelist
Date: November 27, 2024
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