Macau court dismisses LT Game patent claims against Light & Wonder subsidiaries as infamous 13-year legal dispute nears conclusion
Summary
Macau’s Judicial Court of First Instance has rejected LT Game’s patent claims against subsidiaries of Light & Wonder in a ruling dated 30 July 2025 (published 22 September 2025). The court found that the two patents at issue (I/150 and I/380), covering aspects of baccarat jackpot methods and gaming terminals/systems, lacked the necessary inventive step and were obvious to a skilled professional, so they do not satisfy Macau’s Industrial Property Legal Regime (RJLP).
The court dismissed all the plaintiffs’ claims, accepted the second defendant’s counterclaim, declared the patents null and void, cancelled their registration and barred the plaintiffs from using patent-related terms under Article 107 of the RJPI. The plaintiffs must pay legal costs. LT Game has signalled it will appeal.
Key Points
- The Macau court ruled on 30 July 2025 (published 22 Sept) that LT Game’s patents I/150 and I/380 are null and void due to lack of inventive step.
- Defendants were subsidiaries of Light & Wonder: Shuffle Master Asia Limited (Macau & Australia), Shuffle Master Inc and SG Jogos Ásia S.A.; all claims against them were dismissed.
- The court accepted a counterclaim by the second defendant and ordered the plaintiffs to cover legal costs.
- The patents related to a baccarat jackpot “method and system” and a “gaming terminal and system” — the court found these obvious to a professional in the field.
- This closes a high-profile, 13-year dispute that included dramatic incidents at G2E Asia (2012) when Macau customs physically sealed Shuffle Master equipment.
- LT Game has said it will appeal, so this ruling may not be the final chapter.
Context and relevance
This case has been industry folklore in Macau and the wider Asian gaming market for over a decade. The ruling removes a significant source of legal uncertainty for Light & Wonder and its Shuffle Master products in the region, influencing how suppliers, operators and trade shows address patent enforcement and equipment deployment. It also sets a local precedent on inventive step standards under Macau’s IP regime — important for firms assessing patent risk or defence strategies in Asia’s gaming ecosystem.
Why should I read this?
Because if you work in gaming, supply or IP in Asia, this is big news — the court has essentially cleared Shuffle Master of a long-running cloud of legal risk. It alters the playing field for equipment makers and operators, and there’s likely to be follow-up action (appeal) that could keep this relevant for months. We read the judgement so you don’t have to — quick take: patents struck down, costs awarded, appeal likely.
Author style
Punchy: A major 13-year saga has swung decisively against LT Game. This isn’t just courtroom drama — it reduces legal overhang for a major supplier and signals how Macau courts are treating inventive-step challenges in gaming tech. If you need detail, read the full judgement and watch the appeal.