King's Resort Wins First Round in Facebook Lawsuit

King's Resort has won the first round in its lawsuit against Facebook. The resort, owned by Leon Tsoukernik, sued the social media giant in April 2021 over an online game app that illegally advertised using the resort's name. Tsoukernik filed a complaint with Facebook, but after several weeks of inaction, he filed a lawsuit seeking CZK 500,000,000 (approximately $23.3 million) in damages.

Most lawsuits against Facebook are typically handled in Ireland, where the company's headquarters are located. However, a court in Prague has ruled that Czech courts have jurisdiction over this case, which is a significant advantage for King's Resort. This ruling allows the case to proceed under Czech law, which is more favorable to the resort's claims.

The court also found that the allegedly illegal advertising for the online gaming app did not include a reference to gambling addiction prevention. This is a mandatory requirement for all Czech casinos, further indicating that the advertising was indeed illegal.