Two Companies, One 'Aviator': The Trademark Fight Explained

If you play Aviator in Kenya, you’re playing a version made by a company called Spribe. But there’s a second company — Aviator LLC, working through its licensing arm Aviator Studio — that claims it owns the “Aviator” brand and is fighting Spribe over it in courts around the world. The dispute has now reached Africa. This piece lays out what’s actually been decided, what’s still open, and what it might mean for the game you play.

We’re going to be careful here. This is active litigation between real companies, and a lot of online coverage picks a side. We’ll stick to what courts have actually ruled and attribute claims as claims.

The short version

Two companies both say they have the rights to the “Aviator” name and its airplane-and-rising-curve branding. Courts in different countries have ruled in different directions. There is no single global “winner” yet — major trials are still pending. The version Kenyan players currently use is Spribe’s, and nothing has changed that for Kenyan players today. But the dispute is spreading into African markets, so it’s worth understanding.

Who the two sides are

Spribe is the developer behind the Aviator crash game that became a global phenomenon — the plane that flies up an increasing multiplier curve until it flies away, and you try to cash out before it does. This is the version on most Kenyan operators. Spribe has been aggressive about protecting the “Aviator” trademark, taking legal action against what it considers unauthorised copies.

Aviator LLC is a company originating in Georgia (the country) that claims it is the original owner of the “Aviator” trademark and airplane logo. It licenses the brand through an arm called Aviator Studio. It argues Spribe registered the Aviator trademarks in bad faith.

What courts have actually ruled

Here’s where it matters to be precise, because outcomes have gone both ways depending on the country:

In Georgia (the origin country) — Aviator LLC has prevailed. Georgian courts found that Spribe had registered the Aviator trademarks in bad faith and infringed Aviator LLC’s copyright. In 2025, Georgia’s Supreme Court rejected Spribe’s appeal, upholding Aviator LLC’s ownership of the name and logo in that country. An earlier, very large damages figure was attached to related proceedings, though the situation with Flutter (Spribe’s commercial partner) was later settled into a partnership.

In the UK — Spribe has the upper hand for now. The UK High Court granted Spribe an interim injunction blocking Aviator LLC from launching a competing crash game in the UK market, ahead of a full trial expected in late 2026 or 2027. An interim injunction is a temporary holding measure, not a final ruling on who owns what.

In Brazil — split decisions. In one Brazilian state (São Paulo), appeal courts declined to grant Spribe an injunction against Aviator Studio Brazil, letting it keep operating while the case proceeds. In a different Brazilian state (Pernambuco), a court granted Spribe an interim injunction requiring an operator to stop using the “Aviator” name on a particular game. Same country, different courts, different outcomes.

The honest summary of the legal picture: it’s genuinely unresolved and fragmented. Both companies have won rounds. The big decisions — including the UK trial — are still ahead.

The African development

The reason this is now relevant to our region: Aviator LLC has filed a lawsuit in South Africa against Betway, alleging the operator used protected visual elements of the AVIATOR brand without authorisation, after a cease-and-desist that Aviator LLC says went unresolved. Aviator LLC says it holds trademark rights in several African jurisdictions.

A few important caveats for Kenyan readers:

This is a South African case about branding in that market. It is an allegation by Aviator LLC; a court has not, as far as we’ve seen, made a final ruling on it.
It does not change anything about playing Aviator at any operator in Kenya today, and it isn’t a statement about any operator’s safety or licensing for Kenyan players. Betway Kenya is locally licensed and operating normally.
We mention it only because it signals the dispute is now reaching African markets, which is what could eventually affect what Kenyan players see.

What it might mean for Kenyan players

Nothing changes today. But looking ahead, here’s the realistic range of what could happen as this dispute resolves:

Rebranding. If Aviator LLC’s claims succeed in more jurisdictions, some operators might end up offering the same style of crash game under a different name or with different visuals — to avoid the contested branding.
Two “Aviators.” It’s possible Kenyan players eventually see crash games branded “Aviator” from both camps, which could be confusing. The gameplay (fly up, cash out before the crash) is similar; the branding and the company behind it would differ.
Most likely near-term: nothing visible. These cases move slowly. The major trial isn’t until late 2026 or 2027. For the foreseeable future, the Aviator you play in Kenya is Spribe’s, and it works exactly as it always has.

How to think about it as a player

Practically, the trademark fight doesn’t change how you should approach the game itself. Aviator — whoever ends up owning the name — is a high-volatility crash game with a published RTP around 97%, meaning the house keeps roughly 3% over time. The legal drama between two companies doesn’t change that math, and it doesn’t change our responsible-play guidance: set a budget, use auto-cashout, and treat it as entertainment.

If you want the fundamentals of how the game works and how to play it sensibly, our Aviator guide for Kenya covers that. This piece is just to make sure that if you start seeing a differently-branded crash game on your operator in the coming months, you’ll know why.

The honest summary

There are two companies claiming the “Aviator” brand, and the legal fight between them is real, global, and unresolved — with wins on both sides and the biggest decisions still pending. It’s now reaching Africa via a South African case. For Kenyan players, nothing changes today, but a rebrand or a second “Aviator” is a plausible future. We’ll update this piece as the major rulings land.

This piece reports on ongoing litigation and attributes claims to the parties making them; it is not legal advice and takes no side. BetSmart is an independent affiliate site; we may earn a commission via our links at no cost to you. 18+. Bet responsibly; see our responsible gambling guide.