IGT has become one of the world’s most-successful gaming companies, and they can look to their movie and TV-theme slots as a big reason why. Unfortunately, they may have to part ways with their “House of Cards” themed slot machines because a company named D2 is suing to get the name removed.
The Massachusetts-based D2 has owned certain rights to the phrase “House of Cards” since 2009 to protect a radio show by the same name. A production company named Media Rights Capital (MRC), which makes Netflix’s House of Cards, tried to get rights for the phrase after the show became a hit in 2013.
Despite being denied access to the phrase based on D2’s ownership, MRC has been selling merchandise with the phrase and licensing it too. The latter is where IGT comes into play because they obtained a licensing agreement from MRC to make “House of Cards Power and Money” and “House of Cards Welcome to Washington.”
According to TMZ, D2 has filed a lawsuit to get MRC to stop using/licensing House of Cards to make profits. They also want damages and are seeking to have the name removed from IGT’s slots games.
The good news is that it doesn’t look like IGT has done anything wrong in this instance. Unfortunately, the bad news is that it seems like D2 has a very good case, which might result in the end of both House of Cards Power and Money and House of Cards Welcome to Washington.
Compounding the problem is that IGT has invested a lot of money into designing two excellent slots games. So if they’re forced to give up the license to make these slots, then they might also sue MRC to recoup their losses.