Supplier News
Australia – Aristocrat sues Ainsworth over intellectual breach with progressive link
By Phil - 8 July 2019
Aristocrat Technologies is suing rival Australian slot manufacturer Ainsworth Game Technology in Australia’s Federal Court, claiming it breached intellectual property rights relating to Aristocrat’s Lightning Link progressive link.
The slot giant has accused Ainsworth of the ‘extensive and deliberate theft’ of slot data. It claims that one employee referred to simply as Prabhu, a long-time employee at Ainsworth joined Aristocrat as a game designer but was there for less than a month before returning to Ainsworth where he was employed as a senior game designer from April 2017. He remains employed by Ainsworth to this date.
Aristocrat claims that during that very short period of employment, Prabhu accessed the game mathematics of Lightning Link, via an Excel spreadsheet, downloaded them onto a USB, and gave the spread sheet back to Ainsworth.
Aristocrat said: “This case goes well beyond simple copyright infringement and concerns allegations of extensive and deliberate misappropriation of trade secrets, confidential information and intellectual property. Upholding appropriate standards is part and parcel of ensuring ongoing trust in our business and industry, and is an important part of Aristocrat’s high compliance culture. Aristocrat will always aggressively defend our assets, including our IP. Upholding appropriate standards is part and parcel of ensuring ongoing trust in our business and industry and is an important part of Aristocrat’s high compliance culture. We won’t be commenting further while the case is on foot.”
Ainsworth replied: “Ainsworth will be vigorously defending the claims made by Aristocrat in these proceedings.”
Aristocrat recently demanded to view all Ainsworth’s source code, mathematical tables, game rules, artwork and commercial documents relating to its Jackpot Strike slot machine. Aristocrat alleged that the game was ‘intended to be an imitation of Lightning Link.’
The first hearing in the lawsuit is scheduled for July 17.
