Larry Flynt, the controversial porn king, publisher of Hustler magazine and card club casino operator, has been sued for trademark infringement over the name of his Lucky Lady Casino in Gardena, California, which is the rebrand of the old Normandie casino that he purchased several weeks ago.
The four-count lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California by St. Louis-based Isle Of Capri Casinos Inc., which had warned Flynt against opening his casino last month under the name Lucky Lady. The lawsuit alleges that Flynt’s use of the “lucky lady” brand and its barely clothed woman in the outdoor signage will confuse patrons, since the company operates 14 casinos in seven states under a similar name, Lady Luck, and also employs slot machines with the same name.
According to the lawsuit: “The lewd and suggestive nature of defendants’ use of the mark and the perceived association with defendants’ strip clubs and publications will cause irreparable harm to Isle Of Capri Casinos.” It demands that Flynt take down the offending signage and asks for an unspecified amount in damages.
The plaintiff is asking for a trial by jury and for an injunction against Flynt.
Flynt responded: “We’re very proud and happy to open Larry Flynt’s Lucky Lady Casino in Gardena, California, and we’re undergoing $60 million in renovations at the facility,” adding, “We’re open for operations with table games and poker and we invite anyone to come down and see it for themselves.”
