Value of a domain?

[latrobet]

I'm a software guy not a marketer. So excuse my ignorance in these matters. Just say that someone owned the domain www.ladbrokes.co.in would the domain have any value? Just wondering as India is one of the largest markets in the world if that domain would be worth anything......

[TheGooner]

So many angles to discuss.

This is what I see as an affiliate, but I'm not a domain seller.

1/ REGISTERED BRAND NAMES.
Owning a registered "brand name" domain is less valuable than you think.

You don't really have any right to use Ladbrokes with regards to gambling, and if your ladbrokes.co.in site started appearing in searches for gambling then Ladbrokes would notice and be within their rights to forcibly take it from you as you are infringing their trade mark.

2/ ONLINE GAMBLING IS ILLEGAL IN INDIA.
And let's not forget that online gambling is illegal in India.

If you had a more generic and non-trademark name like sportsbetting.co.in then you have something that can be owned and operated, but you still run the risk of being shutdown by Indian authorities if you have a high-profile Indian domain in an illegal area.

This is why most people run generic domain name extensions like .com .net .org as they can be operated externally, and will not immediately attract attention even if they do get good serps in a country.

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But that's just as an affiliate ... perhaps some experienced domain sellers might have different views, and be able to point out comparable sales?

[latrobet]

Thanks for that. I just thought that it may be ok for locals doing the direct browser input. Like say a New Zealander doing a .co.nz or a Brit doing the .co.uk thing.

Also what about the value of a miss spell like lets say wwwladbrokes.com where there is no '.' between www and ladbrokes (im just running with the theme, im not picking on ladbrokes....)

Just another question if anybody knows. As gambling is illegal in 'say' India, would a gambling brand have the 'trade mark' rights in that country?

Im not asking any of this as an antagonist, its really just a learning curve for me and I thought this would be a good example. Any input is much appreciated.

Cheers

[TheGooner]

Just another question if anybody knows. As gambling is illegal in 'say' India, would a gambling brand have the 'trade mark' rights in that country?

That's a good point ..

Trying to legally dance on the "head of a pin" and say you don't have a legal trademark because you haven't opened here yet MIGHT work (laws are sometimes strange) - but this would be time consuming and costly - and I don't see a way to make a profit from it even if you succeeded.

However, on reflection I think that Ladbrokes use of the brand in many countries for physical and online gambling would surely win simply based on recognition and prior usage. I would expect that a company would have the ability to protect their brand and trademark by at least shutting down an illegal operator.

If you were using Ladbrokes.co.in for something outside gambling - and had registered the Ladbrokes name in India for that purpose then maybe you can keep the domain to sell something else - Ladbrokes Curries perhaps?

But without that ... I would expect a reputable host and the .co.in registrar to quickly side with a big multinational company.

[latrobet]

Trying to legally dance on the "head of a pin" and say you don't have a legal trademark because you haven't opened here yet MIGHT work (laws are sometimes strange) - but this would be time consuming and costly - and I don't see a way to make a profit from it even if you succeeded.

Thanks for the quick reply. I take the point on the legal nightmare. We always have to remember that there are 2 sides to costs, maybe it would be cheaper for a ladbrokes, william hill, betfred...... To just hand the domain owner a few thousand to buy the domain and go back to the office and kick the digital marketing managers backside for not registering it....

Whats your thoughts on misspelled domains like the example I gave of wwwladbrokes.com where there is no '.' between www and ladbrokes?

Cheers

[Sherlock]

Just go to domainer forum. In short you are roughly 15 - 20 years short There were and still are people who are making (huge) money with typo domains. But even those people are extremely careful with typo-brand domains. At least they use fake IDs and on request swiftly transfer the domains to original owner. If not, then there is a process called UDRP.

Your thought are thoughts of criminal in digital era. Nothing wrong with that, but at least you should know it before you do something funny unprepared.

[Rick Perry]

If the gambling is / or is not - legal, it can change in a time. But trademark problem will be always here :-/