A gaming company is suing Larry Flynt, accusing the adult entertainment mogul of violating its trademarks on his newly opened casino in Gardena, court records obtained Wednesday show.
Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. alleges that Flynt was previously warned not to use the name “Lucky Lady” for his casino because the St. Louis company owns the rights to “lucky lady” and “lady luck.”
A Flynt spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment on the lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Los Angeles federal court.
The Hustler magazine publisher bought the gaming license for the former Normandie Casino on Rosecrans Avenue in June for an undisclosed price. Flynt, who already owns the nearby Hustler Casino, said he planned to spend at least $60 million over the next four years to renovate the aging facility, which he renamed Larry Flynt’s Lucky Lady Casino.
Isle of Capri argues that “lady luck” has been used for casino services since 1967 and “lucky lady” for slot machines since 1988.
The company also objected to Flynt’s alleged use of the term in connection with depictions of a scantily-clad woman on outdoor signs and a naked woman on betting chips.
“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,” the company’s complaint states.
Isle of Capri owns or operates 14 casinos in seven U.S. states, according to its website.
–City News Service