The Court of First Instance of Curaçao has declared void two trademark registrations held by Aviator LLC, a notable advancement in the ongoing intellectual property conflict involving SPRIBE, the developer behind the well-known Aviator crash game. This ruling fortifies SPRIBE's legal standing in Curaçao, though the larger battle for the Aviator brand remains unresolved in various jurisdictions.
On May 25, 2026, the Curaçao court issued a default judgment that annulled the two Aviator trademarks registered by Aviator LLC under the Madrid Protocol. A follow-up ruling on May 29 corrected administrative mistakes linked to the registration numbers.
The annulled trademarks include International Registration (IR) 1822051, which safeguards the combined word-and-figurative Aviator mark across Classes 9, 28, and 41, and IR 1827771, which secures the AVIATOR word mark in Classes 9, 41, and 42. Both trademarks were filed in 2024 and specified Curaçao as a protected jurisdiction. The court noted that Aviator LLC did not appear for the proceedings despite being properly summoned.
Additionally, the court mandated Aviator LLC to cover SPRIBE's legal expenses, and the Curaçao Bureau for Intellectual Property has recorded the trademark cancellations effective from May 25, 2026.
This ruling is just one development in the multifaceted legal battle over the Aviator brand, which has arisen in multiple territories. SPRIBE argues that the contested trademarks were registered without its permission. One of these registrations was initially submitted by Rational Intellectual Holdings Limited before it was transferred to Aviator LLC in March 2025.
SPRIBE also possesses an earlier trademark in Curaçao, IR 1759803, registered in August 2023, which bolsters its claim over prior rights within the area. According to court filings, Aviator LLC is linked to SPRIBE's former Georgian partner, previously named Aviator LLC and currently doing business as AB Georgia LLC. This entity was granted licensing agreements for operating the Aviator game solely in Georgia and Armenia through contracts signed in 2018 and 2021.
Although the Curaçao ruling signifies a win for SPRIBE, international litigation regarding the Aviator brand has produced various outcomes. In Georgia, the Court of First Instance ruled in August 2024 that SPRIBE's trademark applications were made in bad faith, infringing upon Aviator LLC's copyrights. That decision led to a $330 million damage award, which was later upheld by the Georgian Supreme Court in May 2025.
The situation has also reached the United Kingdom, where SPRIBE has experienced more favorable results. In July 2025, the High Court issued an interim injunction stopping Aviator LLC from releasing a competing crash game in the UK. More recently, in May 2026, it ruled that the findings from the Georgian proceedings would not be automatically recognized under English law, allowing UK litigation to progress on its own.
A comprehensive trial in the UK concerning the ownership of the Aviator brand is anticipated by late 2026 or early 2027.
In light of the Curaçao judgment, SPRIBE has initiated over 120 trademark opposition proceedings globally against registrations made by Aviator LLC and its extensions. Meanwhile, Aviator LLC is pursuing its legal course and confirmed in May that it has filed separate litigation against Betway in South Africa for unauthorized use of its branding.
As this legal struggle unfolds across numerous jurisdictions, the dispute remains a significant focus in the global iGaming sector, with further rulings likely to influence the commercial rights associated with one of the industry's most successful games.
