Arbitral Digest

Matter

Aviator LLC and others v Spribe OÜ (Court of Appeal (Civil Division) [2026] EWCA Civ 1224)

Aviator's UK copyright and trade mark dispute with Spribe over online crash games and related Georgian proceedings, including the effect of a foreign judgment.

  • Cross-border litigation
  • Choice of law
  • Enforcement of foreign judgments
  • Parallel proceedings
Industry type
Arts, sports and recreation

Procedural record

  1. 2 October 2026United Kingdom

    2 October 2026United Kingdom

    Judgment of the Court of Appeal (Civil Division) in the case CA-2026-001508 dated 2 October 2026

    Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

    Case no.
    CA-2026-001508
    Citation
    [2026] EWCA Civ 1224
    Decision summary
    The Court of Appeal allowed Aviator's appeal, holding that the effect of the prior Georgian judgment and the issue of issue estoppel are governed by English law as the lex fori and are not governed by the Rome II Regulation.

    Participants

    Aviator LLC
    Representative
    Thomas Raphael KC (For: Aviator LLC · Aviator Studio Limited · Aviator Studio Holding Limited)
    Representative
    Sam O'Leary (For: Aviator LLC · Aviator Studio Limited · Aviator Studio Holding Limited)
    Representative
    Edward Cronan (For: Aviator LLC · Aviator Studio Limited · Aviator Studio Holding Limited)
    Aviator Studio Limited
    Representative
    Thomas Raphael KC (For: Aviator LLC · Aviator Studio Limited · Aviator Studio Holding Limited)
    Representative
    Sam O'Leary (For: Aviator LLC · Aviator Studio Limited · Aviator Studio Holding Limited)
    Representative
    Edward Cronan (For: Aviator LLC · Aviator Studio Limited · Aviator Studio Holding Limited)
    Aviator Studio Holding Limited
    Representative
    Thomas Raphael KC (For: Aviator LLC · Aviator Studio Limited · Aviator Studio Holding Limited)
    Representative
    Sam O'Leary (For: Aviator LLC · Aviator Studio Limited · Aviator Studio Holding Limited)
    Representative
    Edward Cronan (For: Aviator LLC · Aviator Studio Limited · Aviator Studio Holding Limited)
    Spribe OÜ
    Representative
    Benet Brandreth KC (For: Spribe OÜ)
    Representative
    Andrew Scott KC (For: Spribe OÜ)
    Representative
    Christopher Hall (For: Spribe OÜ)
    Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
    Judge
    Lady Justice King
    Judge
    Lord Justice Arnold
    Judge
    Lord Justice Miles

    Authorities cited

    10
    • Rome II Regulation (European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No 864/2007 of 11 July 2007)
      regulation
    • Law Applicable to Contractual Obligations and Non-Contractual Obligations (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/234)
      statute
    • Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
      statute
    • Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982
      statute
    • Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd v Zodiac Seats UK Ltd ([2013] UKSC 46)
      case
    • Gol Linhas Aereas SA v MatlinPatterson Global Opportunities Partners (Cayman) II LP ([2022] UKPC 21)
      case
    • Hulley Enterprises Ltd v Russian Federation ([2025] EWCA Civ 108)
      case
    • Associated Electric and Gas Insurance Services Ltd v European Reinsurance Co of Zurich ([2003] UKPC 11)
      case
    • Nicholls v Mapfre España Cia de Seguros y Reaseguros SA ([2024] EWCA Civ 718)
      case
    • Actavis UK Ltd v Eli Lilly and Co
      case

Matter record

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Aviator LLC and others v Spribe OÜ (Court of Appeal (Civil Division) [2026] EWCA Civ 1224) · Matter