Marvel comics super heroes are becoming increasingly familiar in the online gambling industry following deals with the Marvel franchisers that have seen popular characters depicted in slot games, but the $4 billion acquisition of the firm by the Disney organisation in August raises some interesting questions regarding these licensing contracts.
Disney has traditionally been careful to protect its reputation as a mainly youth-and-family-oriented entertainment organisation, and whether that relationship will sit easily with online gambling remains to be seen.
The consensus among industry observers appears to be that arbitrary changes to existing contracts in the short to medium term are unlikely, but that renewals may require more consideration on the Marvel side.