The New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs has reported that a settlement has been reached in the civil proceedings against Christchurch Casinos Limited for alleged breaches of its obligations under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009.

As part of the settlement, Christchurch Casino has admitted all seven causes of action in DIA’s amended statement of claim and has agreed to join DIA in recommending that the High Court impose a penalty of $5.06m on Christchurch Casino.

Between May 2023 and September 2024, DIA conducted an investigation into Christchurch Casino’s AML/CFT compliance, and found that it had breached a number of its obligations under the Act.

DIA found that Christchurch Casino had failed to establish, implement and maintain a compliant AML/CFT compliance programme, adequately monitor accounts, conduct compliant enhanced customer due diligence, terminate existing business relationships when required and keep records as required by the Act. These failures spanned between December 2018 and December 2023.

“This agreement is a significant and positive outcome. It’s encouraging to achieve our intended result without the time and expense of court proceedings” said Serge Sablyak, Director of AML/CFT Group.

“While the regulatory breaches were serious, we acknowledge Christchurch Casino’s decision to admit to the breaches and take responsibility for what were substantial failings.”

“We’re proud that our work has strengthened the integrity of New Zealand’s financial system and has helped build public confidence in the prevention of money laundering and terrorism financing.”

DIA and Christchurch Casino have recommended to the High Court that the matter now proceed to a penalty hearing for the Court to determine the appropriate penalty to be imposed on Christchurch Casino.

Christchurch Casino is not alleged to have been directly involved in money laundering or the financing of terrorism.

In a key ruling, on 1 August 2025 the UK High Court granted SPRIBE an interim injunction preventing a Georgian company, Aviator LLC, from launching or marketing its copycat crash game in the UK. The order was granted to protect SPRIBE’s award-winning Aviator game.

Speaking today, SPRIBE’s founder, David Natroshvili, said: “I am pleased that the highly respected UK Court supports our position and has granted an injunction preventing Aviator LLC from launching and promoting its copycat game. SPRIBE created the Aviator crash game in 2018 and is the sole owner of the game globally. We will continue to take all necessary steps globally to protect SPRIBE, our partners and players from any third parties who seek to undermine or infringe our rights.”

Granting of UK High Court injunction
SPRIBE obtained a UK gambling licence for its Aviator game in December 2020 and has been very successful in the UK market. A Georgian company, Aviator LLC, recently stated its intent to release a copycat game in the UK, also branded Aviator, and has engaged in promotional communications targeted at SPRIBE’s UK customers.
This copycat game is not authorised by SPRIBE. It blatantly infringes the copyright works which SPRIBE owns in its game and seeks to misappropriate the goodwill which SPRIBE has created in its Aviator brand. To prevent the clear risk of reputational and financial damage from any unlawful action by Aviator LLC, SPRIBE has sought, and now won, an interim injunction preventing Aviator LLC from launching or marketing its copycat game in the UK.

Throughout these proceedings and elsewhere, Aviator LLC has provided conflicting and contradictory evidence.  At the hearing Aviator LLC sought to evade responsibility for this matter, including attempting to misdirect the UK Court by obscuring its role through the creation of a shifting network of licensing entities, denying previously stated plans to enter the UK market and refusing to provide key evidence. This led to Aviator LLC’s conduct being described by the Court as ‘childlike’ and ‘petulant’.

Further information relating to bad faith actions by Aviator LLC
This activity by Aviator LLC forms part of a continuing chain of bad faith actions by Georgian businessman Temur Ugulava, who is behind Aviator LLC and a series of connected companies, aimed at exploiting the commercial success and international reputation of SPRIBE’s brand.

Unfounded and opportunistic claims were launched in the Georgian courts last year by Aviator LLC, seeking to expropriate – for the territory of Georgia only – the Aviator branding and logo used by SPRIBE. The flawed Georgian ruling followed an unusually rapid and procedurally flawed legal process in a jurisdiction where concerns around judicial independence and transparency have been widely documented.

SPRIBE continues firmly to reject these claims brought by Aviator LLC, which related solely to the use of a specific logo and branding in Georgia and did not concern ownership of the Aviator game itself. SPRIBE’s trademarks remain valid and protected outside of Georgia, including in the EU and UK.

SPRIBE is aware that Aviator LLC and companies affiliated to it (such as Aviator Studio Group or AviGroup) have directly contacted SPRIBE customers, falsely claiming to be the owner of the intellectual property rights in the branding of SPRIBE’s Aviator game, whilst at the same time promoting their own copycat version of it. These claims are bogus. The Aviator game, including its features, branding and intellectual property, are entirely created and owned by SPRIBE. SPRIBE will continue to take all necessary steps to defend its rights against any third parties who seek to undermine or infringe them.

Aviator LLC has also sought to use the flawed ruling in Georgia to launch spurious proceedings elsewhere. Such claims are without merit and will be vigorously defended.