TLDR
- Ainsworth Game Technology will pay Aristocrat AU$8.5 million under a new patent agreement.
- The deal follows a 2025 Federal Court ruling on Aristocrat’s game feature patents.
- Aristocrat granted Ainsworth a license covering the Hold & Spin family of features.
- Ainsworth’s customers and distributors receive pass-through rights under the agreement.
- Aristocrat also licensed Ainsworth to use its responsible gaming patents royalty-free.
Ainsworth Game Technology has agreed to pay Aristocrat AU$8.5 million as part of a new patent agreement. The deal covers the use of certain Aristocrat patents tied to electronic gaming machines.
Ainsworth disclosed the agreement in a filing on Friday. The company said it applies to patents linked to game features, including the Australian Hold & Spin family.
The agreement was reached with two Aristocrat entities. These are Aristocrat Technologies Australia and Aristocrat Technologies, Inc.
It comes after a 2025 Federal Court decision. That ruling found Aristocrat’s patents on feature game delivery for electronic gaming machines were patentable.
Court Ruling Set the Stage
The two companies began talks after the court decision. Those discussions led to the agreement announced this week.
The agreement took effect right away. It settles potential claims tied to Ainsworth’s past use of the patents in Australia.
Ainsworth chief executive Ryan Comstock said the deal gives the company more certainty. He said it supports the company’s growth plans in Australia.
The filing did not share further details about the talks. It also did not describe the specific claims that were resolved.
What the License Covers
Aristocrat gave Ainsworth a license to use the Hold & Spin features. This applies when Ainsworth makes, sells, services, upgrades, or converts its branded machines in Australia.
The license also covers Ainsworth’s online and mobile games sold in Australia. Ainsworth can further work with third parties to manufacture and service its products under the deal.
The license from Aristocrat is non-exclusive and cannot be transferred. It applies only to Ainsworth branded products sold in Australia.
Ainsworth also received pass-through rights as part of the deal. This means its customers, distributors, and venues can use, operate, service, and resell machines already supplied by Ainsworth.
These rights give buyers of Ainsworth machines added certainty. They apply to units supplied during the term of the agreement.
The agreement also includes a royalty-free license for responsible gaming patents. These cover digital wallets, account-based play, player limits, self-exclusion tools, player messaging, and AI-based risk detection.
Ainsworth said this part of the license lasts until each patent expires. The company expects those expiration dates to fall well after the main agreement ends.
The deal also works in the other direction. Ainsworth has granted Aristocrat a license to use all of its patents for Aristocrat branded products sold in Australia.
That license is also non-exclusive and cannot be transferred. It gives both companies defined rights to use each other’s patents in the Australian market.
Under the terms, Ainsworth will pay Aristocrat AU$8.5 million. In return, Ainsworth can keep using the covered features across its machine, online, and mobile products in Australia.
