A Nevada district court has ruled that Evolution’s lawsuit against Light & Wonder (L&W) over alleged misappropriation of trade secrets related to Lightning Roulette must be settled through arbitration, not litigation. The decision, delivered by Judge Cristina Silva, follows a protracted legal dispute centered on the development and release of a competing land-based game by L&W.
Lawsuit Origins and Key Allegations
The dispute began in June 2024, when Evolution filed a complaint accusing L&W of improperly using confidential materials to create RouletteX, a game the company claims closely mirrors its proprietary Lightning Roulette title. Originally launched in 2018 as a live dealer game, Lightning Roulette introduced enhanced payouts and dynamic multipliers—features which Evolution argued were replicated by L&W without proper authorization.
The companies had entered into a licensing agreement in 2021, following initial non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) that allowed L&W access to Evolution’s confidential data. This included mathematical models detailing the mechanics of Lightning Roulette, which Evolution contends were used inappropriately by L&W to build RouletteX, as well as other games like PowerX and 88 Fortunes Blaze Live Roulette.
Arbitration Clause at the Center
Though Judge Silva had previously dismissed Evolution’s initial complaint in February —ruling its patents weren’t enforceable—Evolution filed an amended version that brought trade secret claims under federal and Nevada law. At the core of the court’s recent decision was whether these claims fell under the arbitration clause in the companies’ licensing agreement.
Evolution argued that trade secret disputes were exempt due to a carve-out provision related to “licensed properties.” However, Silva disagreed, writing: “Simply stated, that provision does not provide that matters of IP infringement should not be subject to arbitration. Rather, that provision states that if a matter is deemed to fall within infringement of IP, the matter should be governed by ‘laws of the territory where the IP is held and allegedly infringed.’”
The agreement had specified that unresolved disputes would be settled under the Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce, with proceedings seated in London.
Additional Arguments Deferred to Arbitrator
L&W further claimed that Evolution’s arbitration demand came after the agreed 12-month limitations period had expired. Rather than rule on this, Silva stated the timing issue—like the trade secrets claims themselves—should be determined by the arbitrator, not the court.
While the trade secret claims have now been referred to arbitration, patent infringement allegations remain active in district court. Both companies have been instructed to attend a status conference on 30 October to provide updates on how arbitration may affect the remainder of the legal proceedings.
One Legal Battle Down, Another Ongoing
This arbitration ruling reduces L&W’s current court caseload in Nevada but doesn’t clear its legal slate. The company is still embroiled in a separate lawsuit with Aristocrat, which accuses L&W of copying its Dragon Link slot game with its own Dragon Train title. That case remains in the discovery phase and is expected to continue into spring 2026.
Source:
“Evolution’s Lightning Roulette suit against L&W sent to arbitration”, sbcamericas.com, October 3, 2025
The post Evolution’s Lightning Roulette Dispute with L&W Sent to Arbitration first appeared on RealMoneyAction.com.