Can I Copyright this?

[charleswildig]

I have an idea for a game (a form of fantasy team sports game). My intention is to create a website for the game. What can I do to protect my idea and prevent someone else (like 888.com) taking my idea? Does copyright apply? If I copyright it, can they legally just take the game idea and change the visual appearance?

Thanks

Charles

[CopyrightAid]

Protecting something as intangible as an idea is always tricky. Copyright protects the recorded work itself, not the idea.

Copyright can protect the website (i.e. the HTML and other code, images etc.) itself, also the software code and graphics of the game.

There is nothing to stop someone producing a competing game along similar lines so long as they do not copy your work. That is just fair competition. But, if they copy your code, images, etc. then this would be a copyright infringement and you could take action.