Spribe has secured a provisional injunction in Malta against three companies linked to Aviator Studio in the ongoing dispute over the AVIATOR brand.
The ruling, issued on September 1 by the First Hall of the Civil Court of Malta, found that Aviator Studio’s use of similar signs and imagery created a clear risk of confusion with Spribe’s registered EU trademarks.
Court orders Aviator Studio to stop using the branding
The court ordered Aviator Studio Limited, Aviator Studio Holding Limited and Aviator Studio USA Limited to stop using signs and imagery resembling Spribe’s trademarks in connection with gambling products and services.
The companies were also ordered to shut down aviator.studio and other platforms carrying similar branding.
The ruling specifically confirmed protection for the word “Aviator”, the aircraft logo and the audiovisual sequence associated with the game’s presentation.
The court noted that the two products could appear next to each other on the same gambling platforms. In one case involving LuckyStreak, the court found that Spribe’s product appeared to be attributed to Aviator Studios. The court considered this evidence that confusion was already occurring rather than being only a theoretical possibility.
It also noted that Aviator Studio’s game was already available in EU markets including Malta, Sweden and Finland.
Malta ruling could affect further European distribution
The court also considered Aviator Studio’s recent B2B Critical Supply Licence from the Malta Gaming Authority. The judges warned that the company’s access to regulated distribution could allow its product to expand further across Europe.
Spribe founder David Natroshvili welcomed the decision and described it as another positive outcome for the company. A UK court is expected to consider Spribe’s request for a multi-territorial preliminary injunction in October.
The Maltese order remains provisional. The Aviator Studio companies can challenge it, while Spribe must commence full proceedings within 31 days of the ruling.
AVIATOR dispute continues across multiple jurisdictions
The legal battle over AVIATOR has produced different outcomes in several countries.
In August 2024, Georgia’s Court of First Instance ruled that Spribe’s trademarks in the country had been registered in bad faith, siding with Aviator LLC. Georgia’s Supreme Court upheld the decision in May 2025.
The UK proceedings have produced more favourable results for Spribe. In July 2025, the High Court granted an interim injunction blocking Aviator LLC from launching a competing crash game in Britain. In 2026, a UK court also issued a procedural ruling favourable to Spribe, finding that the Georgian judgments could not simply be transferred into English law.
In August 2026, the Court of First Instance in Curaçao also invalidated two AVIATOR trademarks held by Aviator LLC.
The Maltese injunction therefore strengthens Spribe’s position in the European dispute, although the underlying ownership and enforcement issues surrounding AVIATOR remain subject to proceedings in multiple jurisdictions.
Source: iGaming Today
