DraftKings asks PTAB to invalidate Interactive Games’ mobile wagering patent

DraftKings has taken Interactive Games LLC’s US Patent No. 12,406,284 to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), arguing that the patent on location-based authorisation for mobile wagering should not stand. For PSPs and operators, the point is straightforward: geolocation patents around mobile betting are still live ammunition in US litigation, not just paperwork in the background.

1. DraftKings filed its petition on September 17 and asked the PTAB to invalidate all 18 claims of US Patent No. 12,406,284.
2. The patent is titled Mobile device proximity tracking for selective content delivery and formatting and covers a system that uses a device’s location to authorise betting only within permitted areas. It also covers delivery and formatting of wagering and promotional content on the mobile device.
3. DraftKings says the technology described in the patent was already known before the filing date, which is the core attack in the PTAB proceeding.
4. The patent is one of five at the centre of a lawsuit filed against DraftKings in Massachusetts in April. Interactive Games, which is a successor to Cantor Gaming, alleges that DraftKings’ mobile applications infringe the patents, including technology related to geolocation and mobile wagering.
5. According to reporting on the PTAB filing, the patent lists US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick as its lead inventor from his time at Cantor. Interactive Games has also previously brought PTAB disputes involving DraftKings and FanDuel over other patents. The new case, DK Crown Holdings Inc. v. Interactive Games LLC, is still pending.

For operators and their payment partners, cases like this matter because mobile wagering controls are not just a compliance layer; they can also become an IP fight over who gets to define the mechanics of location-gated betting.