Evolution Revives Legal Dispute with Light & Wonder Over Alleged Patent Breaches

Light & Wonder, this time expanding the scope of its allegations. The revised filing includes claims of infringement involving an additional casino game, 88 Fortunes Blaze Live Roulette, and introduces new patents to strengthen its position after an earlier dismissal.

The original lawsuit, brought by Evolution, primarily centered on Lightning Roulette. The company argued that Light & Wonder’s Roulette X product unlawfully utilized its patented features. Evolution also claimed both companies had initially collaborated on adapting Lightning Roulette for land-based casino environments, but the partnership fell apart shortly before Roulette X was introduced independently by Light & Wonder.

That case, however, was dismissed in February by District Judge Cristina Silva, who concluded that the patents in question failed to meet enforceability standards. The judge cited the Alice test, a legal benchmark for determining whether patent claims are directed to patent-eligible subject matter, and found that Evolution’s claims were too abstract to be upheld.

Broader Claims Target New Game and Additional Patents

In its newly submitted filing dated April 10, Evolution attempts to overcome the court’s prior objections by refining its patent assertions. The company also added 88 Fortunes Blaze Live Roulette to its list of games allegedly infringing on its intellectual property. The game, previewed during the 2024 Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas and officially launched in January 2025, integrates live roulette gameplay with digital features such as “lucky numbers” that apply multiplier bonuses — elements that Evolution says mirror those in its own products.

Court documents confirm that by March 14, Evolution issued a formal letter to Light & Wonder outlining these new concerns. The letter claimed the recently released game violated both its original Haushalter patents and the Merati patents, which Evolution had obtained following its acquisition of Uplay1 in July 2024. These patents relate specifically to hybrid gaming servers that deliver live-streamed casino games via server infrastructure.

“88 Fortunes Blaze Live is a live casino game provided to players using a hybrid gaming platform. The game is broadcast from a studio and provided to players using a server,” Evolution’s legal team stated in the court filing.

Evolution Seeks Damages and Halt to Game Distribution

With its expanded complaint, Evolution is requesting that the court prohibit Light & Wonder from continuing to distribute the disputed titles. The company is also seeking treble damages and wants the court to order the return of any profits Light & Wonder may have earned through these allegedly infringing games.

The legal team also filed a motion seeking permission to introduce two additional patents and another party to the case. The amended lawsuit follows Judge Silva’s earlier decision to allow Evolution to revise its filing, though she expressed skepticism about the company’s ability to rectify the issues she identified with the original complaint.

Shortly after Evolution filed its initial complaint, Light & Wonder revealed plans to exit the live casino sector altogether. In February, the company confirmed it would wind down and divest its live dealer division — the same unit that introduced 88 Fortunes Blaze Live Roulette.

Despite repeated requests for comment, Light & Wonder declined to address the lawsuit, citing a general policy of not commenting on active legal proceedings.

Meanwhile, the company remains entangled in another intellectual property battle. Light & Wonder is also facing a separate lawsuit from Aristocrat, the Australian gaming manufacturer, which has raised allegations concerning its Dragon Train slot machine and other products.

As the dispute unfolds, Evolution continues to position itself as a defender of its patented innovations in the evolving landscape of hybrid and live casino gaming.

Source:

‘’Evolution refiles lawsuit against Light & Wonder with new game’’, sbcamericas.com, April 11, 2025.