Light & Wonder and Aristocrat Continue Lengthy Legal Dispute
Prolonged Legal Battle Between Slot Machine Giants
The ongoing court dispute between major slot machine companies Light & Wonder and Aristocrat has taken a new turn. Light & Wonder recently challenged a judge’s decision in Nevada that required them to disclose documents from an internal investigation. The company argues that these materials are protected under attorney–client privilege. With numerous legal twists, the conflict shows no signs of concluding soon.
Contentious Discovery Process
On December 8, Light & Wonder formally opposed a ruling made by Magistrate Judge Maximiliano Couvillier, which declared that the company had waived its privilege rights related to the handling of allegations about its Dragon Train slot series. Light & Wonder argued that the judge misunderstood both their position and applicable legal precedents from the Ninth Circuit.
Central to this dispute is whether Light & Wonder inadvertently allowed access to details from an internal review conducted after Aristocrat accused Emma Charles, a former Aristocrat employee who joined Light & Wonder in 2021, of taking confidential design information. Aristocrat contends that Charles’ contributions to the Dragon Train title led to unauthorized use of distinctive game mechanics from its Dragon Link and Lightning Link slot franchises.
Light & Wonder emphasized that throughout the proceedings, it consistently informed both the court and Aristocrat that it would not rely on the internal investigation during trial nor use its findings in defending against the claims. Their legal team insists these assurances should be recognized, and that the court’s order disregarding them was mistaken.
Both Firms Show No Signs of Retreating
Aristocrat has persistently sought to broaden its examination of Light & Wonder’s product development process. The company succeeded in obtaining court approval earlier this year to access mathematical models behind several titles created since Charles joined. This decision came after Aristocrat refined their legal requests to specify exactly what information they wanted examined, overturning a previous denial.
The dispute over privileged information is just one facet in an expanding case. Aristocrat has accused Light & Wonder of withholding or selectively producing documents and flagged concerns about another Light & Wonder game that allegedly mirrors proprietary mathematical structures closely related to Aristocrat’s work.
Light & Wonder denies all allegations firmly, maintaining that all their games are independently developed by their internal design teams. The ongoing legal battle includes multiple filings, motions, and exhaustive discovery, with neither party showing any willingness to compromise or settle in the near future.
