AviaGames, developer of popular casino apps available on the Apple App Store and Android’s Google Play store, is facing a class-action suit alleging that users wagered millions on AviaGames’ Pocket7Games apps in the belief they were playing against similarly skilled humans, but actually were competing with bots.
The suit was filed by Andrew Pandolfi of Texas, who estimates he lost thousands of dollars playing Avia’s games; and Mandi Shawcroft of Idaho, who says she lost hundreds. It includes all other impacted players who participated in games using the Pocket7Games app, which provides access to multiple casino games.
“Avia users collectively have wagered hundreds of millions of dollars to compete in these games of ‘skill’ against what Avia says are other human users,” according to the suit filed in the U.S. Northern District of California.
“However, as it turns out, the entire premise of Avia’s platform is false: Instead of competing against real people, Avia’s computers populate and/or control the games with computer “bots” that can impact or control the outcome of the games… Avia’s games are manipulated games of chance that amount to an unapproved gambling enterprise.”
The issue first surfaced in a separate lawsuit filed against AviaGames by rival app supplier Skillz Games, which alleged patent infringement. As part of that case, Skillz alleged that AviaGames practiced at an unfair advantage because users didn’t have to wait for a similarly skilled player to access the app—the rival firm claims that was because AviaGames provided instant competition by using bots.
The new lawsuit was revealed by the New York Post, which says AviaGames has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the case. In a former Post story on the Skillz lawsuit, an AviaGames spokesperson defended its business.
“AviaGames stands behind its IP, unique gaming technology, the design of its games, and the integrity of its executive team,” the spokesperson told the Post. “Avia is the only skill-based gaming publisher offering one seamless, all-in-one platform that delivers an accessible, reliable, and high-quality mobile gaming experience for all its players.”
