Aviator LLC has filed an invalidation action against Spribe OU before the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), following a legal victory in Georgia over the popular casino crash game Aviator.
This latest filing seeks to challenge Spribe OU’s trademarks in the European Union, alleging bad faith registration and violation of Aviator LLC’s copyright.
This legal move comes after Aviator LLC secured a $330 million trademark and copyright claim against Spribe OU and Flutter Entertainment-owned Adjarabet in Georgia’s Court of First Instance. The case centered on the use of the Aviator name and logo, which Aviator LLC claims were wrongfully used by Spribe OU.
The Georgian court ruled in favor of Aviator LLC in August, marking the company’s first legal victory in the dispute. In this new action before the EUIPO, Aviator LLC is seeking to invalidate Spribe’s trademarks, which cover goods and services in classes 09 and 41. These classes include computer software and gambling services, directly affecting online casinos and gaming platforms.
“The EUIPO action represents the logical continuation of this dispute following the court’s decision,” said Nikoloz Gogilidze, Managing Partner at Mikadze Gegetchkori Taktakishvili LLC, which represents Aviator LLC.
“Our client is strongly committed to aggressively protecting its IP rights worldwide. Hence, after obtaining the first victory in Georgia where the initial infringement took place, the next step is to challenge Spribe OU trademarks worldwide.”
The origins of the dispute date back to 2022, when all intellectual property related to the Aviator trademark and logo was transferred from City Loft to Aviator LLC. This transfer of rights spurred the initial lawsuit against Spribe OU, with Aviator LLC alleging that Spribe registered the trademarks in bad faith and in violation of existing agreements.
As the case proceeds in the European Union, both companies are expected to present further arguments regarding the ownership and use of the Aviator brand in the gaming industry.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/noticias/2024/10/03/80736-aviator-llc-files-trademark-challenge-against-spribe-ou-in-eu-after-victory-in-georgia
