In a significant move in the ongoing legal battle between Aristocrat and Light & Wonder, a Nevada court has ruled in favor of Aristocrat’s renewed motion to obtain discovery of math models for Light & Wonder’s Hold N’ Spin games released since 2021. This decision continues the litigation that began when Aristocrat accused Light & Wonder of misappropriating its trade secrets to develop the popular Dragon Train slot series.
Discovery of Math Models: A Key Step in the Case
The dispute began when Emma Charles, a former Aristocrat game designer, joined Light & Wonder in 2021. Aristocrat alleges that Light & Wonder utilized Charles’s inside knowledge to replicate its proprietary mathematical models in developing its Dragon Train series, which bears striking similarities to Aristocrat’s Dragon Link. The motion now granted by the court requires Light & Wonder to disclose the math models for certain Hold N’ Spin titles released after Charles’s move.
Previously, Light & Wonder had successfully argued that it should not have to disclose these models, but the court’s recent ruling reversed that decision. Light & Wonder issued a statement expressing disappointment, emphasizing that the company remains confident that no Aristocrat math was used outside of the Dragon Train and Jewel of the Dragon games. “While we are disappointed with the court’s ruling, we remain confident, based on the expert review we previously disclosed, that there is no evidence of Aristocrat math being used in any commercially released games other than Dragon Train and Jewel of the Dragon,” Light & Wonder’s statement said.
This latest ruling follows an earlier decision in 2024 when a U.S. District Court in Nevada granted Aristocrat a preliminary injunction against Light & Wonder, effectively stopping the sale and commercialization of the Dragon Train series. In response, Light & Wonder announced it would revise the game’s mathematical framework and discontinue certain related products to comply with the court’s ruling.
Despite the injunction, Light & Wonder has continued to defend its practices, maintaining that it did not violate any intellectual property rights. The company is preparing for a lengthy legal process, with fact discovery set to close on December 15, 2025, and expert discovery slated to finish by March 16, 2026. According to Inside Asian Gaming, as part of its legal strategy, Light & Wonder has voluntarily ceased marketing its Jewel of the Dragon series, acknowledging the discovery of certain Aristocrat PAR sheets—documents detailing performance characteristics and payout structures—that may have been inadvertently shared with the development team.
The expanded review of Light & Wonder’s Hold N’ Spin games from 2021 onward is part of a broader effort to address any concerns regarding the use of Aristocrat’s intellectual property. The company stated that it believes this expanded review will not uncover further violations.
The Future of the Litigation
The case, which revolves around allegations of trade secret misappropriation and patent infringement, is far from over. The discovery process will continue, and the final decisions on whether Light & Wonder used any proprietary Aristocrat models in its games remain pending. The companies are likely to continue presenting expert testimony and other evidence in the coming months as they prepare for the closing of the discovery phases.
Aristocrat, meanwhile, continues to assert that its intellectual property was misappropriated and has already indicated that it will push forward with its claims. “We are extremely pleased with the court’s decision,” said Matthew Primmer, Aristocrat’s Chief Product Officer, following the preliminary injunction last year.
