The legal dispute between Spribe and the parties behind the competing Aviator crash game has taken another significant step, with the English High Court bringing the main trial forward to October 2027. The proceedings had originally been expected to begin in early 2028.
In a judgment delivered on 6 November, Mr Justice Tappin considered Spribe’s request for restrictions on the rival game’s use of the Aviator name and similar aeroplane branding. The court supported restrictions on new launches in Colombia, Romania and Serbia, while allowing the rival product to remain available through operators and aggregators where it was already offered on or before 3 July 2026.
The proposed order would therefore prevent new distribution under the disputed branding in those countries without ending existing commercial relationships. The judge said this approach would help limit potential commercial damage to both sides while the wider dispute continues.
Spribe also secured permission to pursue additional claims in nine markets: Canada, Colombia, Ghana, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Romania, Serbia and South Africa. The company argues that the rival game’s name, visual identity and aeroplane imagery could confuse customers in markets where Spribe’s own Aviator product has an established presence.
However, the court rejected Spribe’s attempt to extend its claims to a further 28 countries, finding that the allegations lacked sufficient detail and supporting evidence. Certain overseas copyright claims involving the rival game’s Provably Fair text and graphics were also refused.
The judge acknowledged a high probability that Spribe could establish the necessary facts for its unfair competition claims in Colombia, Romania and Serbia. However, this remains a provisional assessment, and the central copyright dispute has not yet been decided.
An additional preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 2027 to consider whether earlier Georgian court judgments prevent certain issues from being argued again in England. The main trial is now expected to begin in October 2027.
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