Borgata sues Ocean Casino over alleged theft of trade secrets

Borgata alleges that Ocean Casino poached executives to gain customer information.

US.- Borgata is suing Ocean Casino for the alleged theft of trade secrets, through hiring its former executives.

The Atlantic city casino has filed a lawsuit in which accuses its competitor of intentionally poaching six Borgata executives in attempt to learn information about its most profitable customers.

The lawsuit primarily focuses on two of the six former Borgata employees that were hired by Ocean Casino: Kelly Ashman Burke, previously Borgata’s executive director of marketing, and William Callahan, former vice president of relationship marketing.

The lawsuit alleges that their appointment by Ocean Casino violates non-compete clauses in their contracts, which prevent them from working for any competitor for at least a year after leaving Borgata.

The case also alleges that Callahan took a mobile phone containing information about Borgata’s best customers to Ocean.

Borgata’s parent company, MGM, said: “Ocean is in the process of raiding Borgata’s casino marketing department. Injunctive relief is necessary because all informal efforts to resolve the dispute and protect Borgata’s business from irreparable harm have failed.”

Representatives of Ocean have declined to comment on the case.

Back in May, Borgata announced an investment of US$12 million on a new sports betting bar and lounge.