The ongoing legal battle between Aristocrat and Light and Wonder has taken a fresh turn as a Nevada Court ruled that Light and Wonder must divulge details regarding games released after 2021.
Light and Wonder expressed ‘disappointment’ at the court’s decision to grant Aristocrat’s motion to obtain discovery related to hold and win games released by Light and Wonder since 2021.
It’s a move that could alter the trajectory of the longstanding legal battle given that a similar request was denied in June. However, the decision has now been reversed after Aristocrat narrowed the scope of their request.
The timeline of the discovery period coincides with when the former Aristocrat employee Emma Charles joined Light and Wonder.
Aristocrat’s issue with Light and Wonder stems from allegations that Charles used her knowledge of Aristocrat’s Dragon Link casino game to help produce a similar title for Light and Wonder called Dragon Train.
Last September, the US District Court of Nevada granted Aristocrat a preliminary injunction and ordered the removal of Dragon Train gaming machines in North America.
Charles parted company with Light and Wonder following the decision, and the game was pulled from casino floors. Light and Wonder has since pulled a second game, Jewel of the Dragon, following an amendment to Aristocrat’s complaint.
While emphasising its disappointment in the recent change of heart from the Nevada court, Light and Wonder also expressed optimism regarding the results of the impending discovery period.
“We remain confident, based on the expert review we previously disclosed, that there is no evidence of Aristocrat math being used in any commercially released games other than Dragon Train and Jewel of the Dragon,” said the company in a statement.
Light and Wonder has consistently rallied against having to disclose proprietary information related to its titles.
In a September court filing, the company stated that “the unprotected disclosure of Light and Wonder’s internal game development processes to competitors would result in economic or competitive injury”.
This latest decision underlines that the legal wranglings that began in March 2024 appear to have a long way to go before any final decision is made in either company’s favour. With the case now moving forward, the trial is set for later next year.
iGaming Expert has reached out to both Light and Wonder and Aristocrat for further comment on the update.
Aristocrat stated it does not comment on pending litigation, however, vowed to ‘aggressively defend’ its IP.
