UK High Court grants injunction to SPRIBE against Aviator LLC over copycat game

• SPRIBE secures court order blocking Georgian firm from promoting rival crash game in UK
• High Court criticises Aviator LLC’s conduct as misleading and evasive
• Legal win strengthens SPRIBE’s efforts to protect intellectual property globally

The UK High Court has granted SPRIBE an interim injunction against Georgian company Aviator LLC, preventing it from launching or marketing a copycat version of the Aviator crash game in the United Kingdom. The ruling, issued on 1 August 2025, is a significant development in SPRIBE’s ongoing legal efforts to defend its intellectual property in global markets.

Court protects SPRIBE’s flagship game

SPRIBE, which created the original Aviator crash game in 2018 and holds a UK gambling licence since 2020, brought the legal action to stop the unauthorised use of its branding and design by Aviator LLC. The High Court agreed, issuing the injunction to protect what it described as SPRIBE’s award-winning and globally recognised game.

“I am pleased that the highly respected UK Court supports our position and has granted an injunction preventing Aviator LLC from launching and promoting its copycat game,” said David Natroshvili, founder of SPRIBE.

“SPRIBE created the Aviator crash game in 2018 and is the sole owner of the game globally. We will continue to take all necessary steps globally to protect SPRIBE, our partners and players from any third parties who seek to undermine or infringe our rights.”

High Court criticises Aviator LLC’s behaviour

In granting the order, the Court strongly criticised Aviator LLC’s conduct, describing it as “childlike” and “petulant”. The judgement noted the company’s failure to provide key documents, its denial of clear plans to enter the UK market, and its attempts to mislead the Court through a shifting network of licensing entities.

According to SPRIBE’s legal filings and public statements, Aviator LLC had directly contacted SPRIBE’s UK customers with promotional material for its version of the game, using the same branding and claiming to own the rights. SPRIBE asserts that these claims are false and that the unauthorised game poses reputational and financial risks to its business.

In granting the order, the Court strongly criticised Aviator LLC’s conduct, describing it as “childlike” and “petulant”.

Pattern of bad faith conduct alleged

SPRIBE alleges that the actions of Aviator LLC are part of a broader campaign led by Georgian businessman Temur Ugulava, who is associated with Aviator LLC and related entities such as Aviator Studio Group and AviGroup. The company points to a 2023 case in Georgia, where Aviator LLC obtained a ruling concerning logo use within Georgia only, after what SPRIBE described as an “unusually rapid and procedurally flawed” legal process.

“SPRIBE continues firmly to reject these claims brought by Aviator LLC, which related solely to the use of a specific logo and branding in Georgia and did not concern ownership of the Aviator game itself,” the company stated.

“SPRIBE’s trademarks remain valid and protected outside of Georgia, including in the EU and UK.”

Broader implications for IP enforcement

The injunction is seen as a significant moment for the gaming industry and IP protection in regulated markets. SPRIBE’s Aviator game, played by more than 42 million users each month, has become a global benchmark in crash gaming. The ruling reinforces SPRIBE’s legal position as it faces related disputes in the EU, where Aviator LLC has filed actions to invalidate SPRIBE’s European trademarks.

SPRIBE indicated that it would continue to take all necessary legal steps to defend its intellectual property worldwide, including fighting what it calls “spurious proceedings” in other jurisdictions that rely on the Georgian ruling.

The UK court’s decision is also expected to serve as a reference point for similar cases internationally, potentially influencing the development of more coherent frameworks for protecting gaming IP in the digital age.