Leading Casino App Developer Facing Lawsuit Over Use Of Bots

AviaGames, the developer of casino apps such as Bingo Tour and Solitaire Clash, is facing a class-action lawsuit that accuses the company of deceiving users and manipulating game outcomes through the use of computer bots. This lawsuit, filed in the US Northern District of California, alleges that AviaGames falsely marketed its platform as a place for users to compete against other human players.

Andrew Pandolfi of Texas and Mandi Shawcroft of Idaho filed the class-action lawsuit against AviaGames on November 17, 2021, in the US Northern District of California. According to The New York Post, the lawsuit claims that AviaGames engaged in false marketing by promoting its platform as a venue for users to compete in games of skill against other human players. However, the plaintiffs argue that this claim is a facade, alleging that AviaGames populates and controls the games with computer bots, thereby manipulating the outcomes.

AviaGames, a privately held company based in Mountain View, California, offers popular casino apps such as Solitaire Clash, Bingo Clash, and Bingo Tour. These apps rank among the top in the casino category on both Apple’s App Store and Android’s Google Play store. Despite its popularity, AviaGames is now facing serious allegations of operating an unapproved gambling enterprise. The class-action lawsuit describes the games offered by AviaGames as “manipulated games of chance.” The stakes are high for AviaGames, considering its substantial user base and the significant amount of money collectively wagered on its platform.

The class-action lawsuit is not the only legal battle AviaGames is currently facing. In 2021, Skillz Games, one of AviaGames’ rivals, filed separate lawsuits against AviaGames for patent and copyright infringement. These earlier lawsuits have already shed light on the alleged use of bots by AviaGames and are still progressing through the court system.

In the patent case brought by Skillz Games, it was claimed that AviaGames’ use of bots enabled them to quickly match up players, giving them a competitive advantage over Skillz Games. Skillz Games argued that their customers sometimes had to wait up to 15 minutes for an opposing human player, while AviaGames’ bots provided instant matchups. AviaGames has consistently denied these allegations and has maintained that its gaming technology and executive team’s integrity are beyond reproach.

In response to inquiries about the class-action lawsuit, an AviaGames spokeswoman issued a statement categorically dismissing the claims as baseless. AviaGames firmly stands behind its intellectual property, gaming technology, and the integrity of its executive team. However, the legal battle between AviaGames and Skillz Games is far from over. The trial date for the ongoing legal dispute between the two companies has been set for February 2, 2024. As the controversy unfolds, some players have expressed long-standing suspicions about the fairness of AviaGames’ platform, with reports of rigged games.

Both AviaGames and Skillz Games offer unique variations of traditional casino games, such as bingo, solitaire, blackjack, and Tetris. These variations incorporate elements of skill to ensure compliance with legal standards. However, it is important to note that nine states, including Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Louisiana, Montana, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Vermont, have laws prohibiting skill gaming apps from accepting monetary deposits from players.