On September 23, 2024, Judge Gloria M. Navarro of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada issued a decision granting Aristocrat’s motion for a preliminary injunction on its trade secret claims against L&W. The court enjoined L&W from “any continued or planned sale, leasing, or other commercialisation of Dragon Train.”
A preliminary injunction is temporary relief that preserves the status quo until the courts decide on the merits of the case. The relief sought often involves asking a court to prevent an opposing party from taking specific action or continuing a current course of action. In this case, the court’s decision finds that Aristocrat is “extremely likely to succeed in demonstrating L&W misappropriated Aristocrat’s trade secrets in [L&W’s] development of Dragon Train. The court recognised that, by misappropriating trade secrets relating to Aristocrat’s Dragon Link and Lightning Link games, L&W “was able to develop Dragon Train without investing the equivalent time and money.”
In granting the preliminary injunction, the court noted “the public interest in protecting trade secrets and preventing competitors from receiving an unfair advantage.”
“We are extremely pleased with the court’s decision,” said Matthew Primmer, Chief Product Officer of Aristocrat. “This ruling underscores the value of our intellectual property and reaffirms our commitment to protecting the integrity of our business. We will continue to innovate and invest in cutting-edge solutions, knowing that the law protects our creative efforts.”
Aristocrat has confirmed that it will continue pursuing its case against L&W in the US. Separately, earlier this year the Federal Court of Australia granted Aristocrat pre-suit discovery against L&W and Aristocrat continues to consider its legal options in Australia.