Garrard, NFL sue casino over photo use

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback David Garrard says he is suing a Florida casino cruise business whose online site shows an action photo of him in an NFL game.

Garrard and the National Football League have joined in a suit filed in federal court against the Jacks or Better Casino, contending its Web site violates Garrard's right to control his own publicity and violates the trademark rights of the NFL and the Jaguars, the (Jacksonville) Florida Times-Union reported Tuesday.

The lawsuit was filed Jan. 12 by Garrard, the NFL, the Jaguars and NFL Properties LLC, who all say no one gave Jacks or Better permission to put the photo on the Web site.

The NFL's trademarks include team uniforms.

Jacks or Better president Jack Slotkin said he is examining the suit to determine a response.

He has attempted to meet with NFL officials but they have told him an attorney must accompany him, he said.

"It's not conducive to settling if they won't at least let me talk to them," Slotkin said.

Posting Garrard's photo conflicts with the NFL's "long-standing policy against affiliations with gambling," the lawsuit says.