Published on 28th May 2026 by Zena Grantham

SPRIBE’s Aviator copyright dispute has become one of the most significant intellectual property battles facing the online gambling industry.

What initially appeared to be a trademark dispute over branding rights in Georgia has escalated into an international legal battle. It now involves copyright claims, allegations of bad-faith conduct, competing ownership claims, and a UK High Court injunction that prevents a rival Aviator-branded game from entering the British market.

At the heart of the dispute are SPRIBE, the developer behind the globally successful Aviator crash game, and Aviator LLC, a Georgian company claiming rights connected to Aviator branding and intellectual property.

The case goes far beyond a crash game.

Aviator has become one of the defining products of modern online gambling. Since its launch, it has generated enormous commercial success across online casinos, sportsbooks, streaming communities, sponsorship deals, and affiliate markets. Aviator’s popularity helped establish crash gaming as one of the fastest-growing categories within the iGaming sector.

Now, ownership of that commercial success is being fought over in court.

The Rise of Aviator and the Expansion of Crash Gaming

SPRIBE launched Aviator in 2018. The concept was straightforward. A virtual aircraft rises as the multiplier increases. Players then attempt to cash out before the round crashes.

Its simplicity became part of the appeal.

Unlike traditional slot machines, crash games emphasize precise timing, strategic risk management, and rapid decision-making. Aviator has increasingly attracted both casino and sportsbook audiences, especially among younger mobile-oriented players.

Aviator transformed crash gaming from a niche vertical into a mainstream category adopted across regulated and offshore gambling markets worldwide.

SPRIBE secured a UK gambling licence for Aviator in December 2020 and further strengthened its commercial position in regulated markets.

As the game expanded globally, so did the commercial value of the Aviator name, branding, graphics, and intellectual property.

UK High Court Grants SPRIBE Interim Injunction

The dispute intensified significantly after the UK High Court granted SPRIBE an interim injunction on 1 August 2025.

The order prevents Aviator LLC from launching or marketing what SPRIBE described as a copycat Aviator crash game within the UK market.

According to court filings, SPRIBE argued that Aviator LLC intended to release a competing crash game with identical Aviator branding while targeting SPRIBE’s UK customer base.

SPRIBE maintained that the rival product infringed copyright protections while attempting to benefit from the commercial reputation already established around the Aviator brand.

Speaking after the injunction was granted, SPRIBE founder David Natroshvili said:

“SPRIBE created the Aviator crash game in 2018 and is the sole owner of the game globally.”

Natroshvili also stated that the company would continue to take “all necessary steps globally” to protect its intellectual property rights.

The UK High Court granted SPRIBE interim protection by preventing Aviator LLC from entering the British market while broader ownership and copyright issues are examined in ongoing legal proceedings.

Court Criticises Aviator LLC’s Conduct

The injunction attracted further attention after concerns were raised during proceedings on conflicting evidence and disputed licensing arrangements involving Aviator LLC and its connected entities.

Court filings also referenced allegations that responsibility had been deliberately obscured through complex corporate structures.

SPRIBE alleged that Aviator LLC attempted to misdirect the court by using a shifting network of licensing entities while denying previous plans to enter the UK market.

Aviator LLC disputes SPRIBE’s position entirely.

The Georgian company maintains that it has legitimate rights to the Aviator branding and has challenged SPRIBE’s ownership claims in multiple jurisdictions.

Georgian Court Dispute Added Further Complexity

Aviator LLC previously secured a Georgian court ruling regarding the use of the Aviator branding and logo within Georgia. SPRIBE has strongly rejected suggestions that the ruling grants global ownership of the Aviator game.

According to SPRIBE, the Georgian proceedings concerned only specific branding use within Georgia and did not address ownership of the Aviator game itself. (g3newswire.com)

SPRIBE has also criticised the Georgian legal process, describing it as unusually rapid and procedurally flawed. The company further referenced concerns surrounding judicial transparency and independence within the jurisdiction.

SPRIBE maintains that its trademarks remain valid and enforceable across multiple regulated markets, including the UK and the European Union.

Michael Tappin KC Highlights the Importance of Foreign Law in the Case

In May 2026, the case developed further following a procedural ruling delivered by Deputy Judge Michael Tappin KC.

According to reports, Tappin KC concluded that aspects of the case depended on foreign legal principles arising from earlier Georgian rulings and international copyright frameworks.

The judge reportedly rejected arguments that English law should govern the dispute, instead stating that foreign copyright laws in the relevant jurisdictions would also need to be examined as part of the proceedings.

Tappin KC also declined Aviator LLC’s request for a preliminary hearing focused solely on ownership issues.

Reports on the judgment stated the court declined to address ownership issues independently, concluding that disputed evidence and unresolved Georgian legal questions remained central to the case.

The ruling did not determine final ownership of the Aviator intellectual property.

Instead, the ruling confirmed that the case will proceed to a full trial. The trial will include further examination of international copyright law, foreign court rulings, trademark rights, and cross-border intellectual property protections.

Why the Case is so Important to the Gambling Industry

The SPRIBE-Aviator LLC dispute has been closely monitored by the gambling sector. It raises major questions surrounding intellectual property protection within modern online gaming.

Crash games are mechanically less complex than modern slot games. They create ongoing legal uncertainty on which aspects of the product qualify for intellectual property protection.

Gameplay mechanics are often difficult to copyright. However, branding, logos, animations, visual assets, interfaces, and source materials all form part of wider intellectual property claims.

As crash gaming continues to expand globally, the outcome of the Aviator dispute could influence how future copyright and trademark claims are handled across the sector.

The case highlights the growing commercial value attached to successful gambling brands.

What Happens Next?

While SPRIBE currently retains protection in the UK market following the interim injunction, the dispute over ownership, branding, copyright, and international intellectual property rights has yet to be resolved.

A full trial is expected to examine the substantive issues in greater detail. It will include the interaction between UK law, Georgian judgments, and international copyright frameworks.

Until then, the dispute surrounding Aviator remains one of the most closely monitored legal battles in the global iGaming sector.

For an industry built on recognizable brands, mobile-first products, and international distribution, the outcome could have implications that extend far beyond a single crash game.