Flutter, Aviator Settle Trademark Infringement Lawsuit

Article by : Erik Gibbs Feb 3, 2025

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Flutter Entertainment and Aviator LLC have reached a settlement, ending a high-stakes trademark infringement lawsuit initially seeking €330 million (US$339 million) in damages. The case, filed by the Georgian company Aviator LLC, accused Flutter of violating its trademark rights by offering a popular crash-style game under the same name. The resolution marks a shift in the companies’ relationship, moving from a contentious legal battle to a potential business partnership.

Aviator LLC’s legal action, which also targeted Spribe, the developer of the widely played Aviator game, was launched in Georgia’s Court of the First Instance. The lawsuit alleged that the game’s branding and imagery had been improperly copied, infringing on Aviator LLC’s intellectual property. The dispute raised concerns within the international gambling community, as it underscored the importance of protecting trademarks in the fast-growing online betting industry.

At the heart of the case was the popular crash-style game Aviator, which has gained significant traction worldwide. The game allows players to place bets as a plane ascends, with winnings increasing until the aircraft flies away. If players fail to cash out in time, they lose their bet. 

The format has proven to be a hit, attracting millions of players across various online gambling platforms. According to Spribe, the game is certified in over 40 jurisdictions and has a user base exceeding 35 million monthly players.

When the lawsuit was first filed, Flutter responded with surprise, dismissing the claims as baseless. The company maintained that the case lacked merit and initially planned to challenge the ruling. The financial aspect of the lawsuit also raised eyebrows, as the millionaire damages sought by Aviator LLC coincided with the amount Flutter had paid in 2019 to acquire Adjarabet, a gambling brand formerly owned by individuals linked to Aviator LLC.

Despite the initial legal clash, the situation took a different turn when Aviator LLC’s lawyer, Nikoloz Gogilidze, announced a commercial agreement between the two companies. The deal allows Flutter to integrate Aviator-branded games across its global platforms, effectively resolving the trademark dispute. While the full details of the settlement remain confidential, both parties have dropped their legal claims against each other.

However, the legal battle is not entirely over. Aviator LLC’s case against Spribe remains active in multiple jurisdictions. The dispute revolves around Spribe’s use of aviator-themed imagery, which Aviator LLC claims infringes on its trademark rights. In response to the ongoing litigation, Spribe withdrew its Aviator game from the Georgian market in January 2024, stating that the region was not a significant source of revenue.