Aviator LLC responds after Spribe grounds rival in UK IP battle ahead of trial

Summary

Spribe won an interim injunction from the UK High Court on 31 July preventing Aviator LLC from launching a competing “Aviator” crash game in the UK while an intellectual property dispute proceeds to trial, expected in late 2026 or early 2027. The dispute began in Georgia, where a judgment previously awarded Aviator LLC €330m and invalidated certain trademarks, but the fight has spread into multiple jurisdictions, including the UK.

Spribe says it created the Aviator game in 2018 and is the global owner of the IP; Aviator LLC insists it was not planning a UK launch and notes its Malta-based licensee has not applied for a Gambling Commission licence yet. Judge Anthony Mann granted the interim injunction but required Spribe to give an undertaking to compensate if the injunction is later found wrongly granted — a standard UK civil procedure safeguard.

Source

Source: https://igamingbusiness.com/legal-compliance/legal/spribe-aviator-uk-injunction-court/

Key Points

• UK High Court granted an interim injunction on 31 July blocking Aviator LLC from launching a competing crash game in the UK ahead of trial.
• The underlying dispute started in Georgia; a First Instance court previously awarded Aviator LLC €330m and invalidated some trademarks there.
• Spribe insists it is the creator and sole global owner of the Aviator game (launched 2019); it says the copycat threatens its brand, players and partners.
• Aviator LLC says it was not planning an imminent UK launch and its Malta subsidiary has not applied for a Gambling Commission licence yet.
• Judge Mann required Spribe to give an undertaking to compensate if the interim injunction is later overturned — a routine protective measure in UK interim relief.
• Trial is expected late 2026 or early 2027 and could last several weeks; both sides are pursuing related actions in other markets and parties include major law firms and senior counsel.

Why should I read this?

Quick version: if you work in iGaming, payments, platform supply or legal, this case matters — it shows how game IP fights can lock up market access and hop borders fast. We read the detail so you don’t have to: interim relief has already stopped a potential UK launch and the full fight could reshape who sells the Aviator-branded product where.

Context and relevance

This is part of a wider trend of cross-jurisdictional IP disputes in the iGaming sector. Operators and suppliers should watch how national rulings, trademark registrations and commercial settlements (such as the reported Aviator LLC–Flutter arrangements) interact with licensing processes. The case highlights risks for firms launching similar products without clear ownership and the commercial impact of injunctions while licence applications can take around a year to process.

Author style

Punchy: this is not just legal theatre — the ruling immediately limits market options and signals that courts will use interim measures to protect alleged IP rights. If you’re involved in product development, branding or market entry, the full decision and how it’s applied across jurisdictions is worth a close read.