Skillz & AviaGames Lawsuit Hearing Delayed By Judge

Skillz Inc, a California-based mobile-gaming platform, originally started by filing a patent infringement lawsuit against AviaGames in 2021. Skillz claimed that AviaGames’ Pocket7Games app was a “copycat” of their own platform.

However during the discovery process of the patent infringement lawsuit, Skillz uncovered evidence suggesting that AviaGames was using non-human “bots” to manipulate cash games. These games were advertised as having only human players, but AviaGames allegedly employed bots to rig the outcomes in their favor. Skillz brought these allegations to the court’s attention, accusing AviaGames of deceit.

AviaGames vehemently denied Skillz’s accusations, claiming that it was Skillz who engaged in the very conduct they falsely accused AviaGames of. In a court filing, AviaGames alleged that Skillz was guilty of the same behavior they were being accused of. This counterclaim added fuel to the already intense legal battle, further complicating the case.

The plot thickened when it was revealed that AviaGames was the subject of a criminal investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey. The investigation centered around allegations that AviaGames had fraudulently used bots to manipulate cash games. As part of the probe, AviaGames was subpoenaed for documents related to the fraud allegations. This criminal investigation added a new layer of complexity to the already contentious legal proceedings.

In light of the ongoing criminal investigation, U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman made the decision to delay the trial between Skillz and AviaGames. The trial, which was originally scheduled to begin in the following week, was pushed back to allow AviaGames more time to prepare their criminal defense. This delay reflected the seriousness of the allegations and the potential impact on the outcome of the case.

The involvement of criminal defense attorneys in a patent case is a rare occurrence, but AviaGames took the step of retaining legal representation to navigate the criminal aspect of the investigation. AviaGames executives Vickie Chen and Peng Zhang enlisted the services of criminal defense attorneys, signaling the gravity of the situation they were facing.

The legal troubles for AviaGames continued to mount when a separate proposed class-action lawsuit was filed against them in a California court. Gamers accused AviaGames of fraud and racketeering, claiming that the company used bots to covertly manipulate games such as blackjack, solitaire, and virtual pool. These allegations further tarnished AviaGames’ reputation and added to the complexity of their legal battles.

The outcome of the Skillz vs AviaGames legal battle and the ongoing criminal investigation could have far-reaching implications for both companies. If AviaGames is found guilty of fraudulently using bots to manipulate cash games, their credibility and player trust would be severely damaged. Skillz, on the other hand, has a chance to solidify its position as a leader in the mobile gaming industry if their allegations are proven true.