AviaGames Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over Alleged Use of Bots in Skill-Based Games

A class action lawsuit has been filed against AviaGames, a platform offering skill-based games, alleging that the company engages in fraudulent and racketeering activities by utilizing bots in games meant for human players only. AviaGames provides various mobile and browser games, including bingo, pool, and card games, where players can compete in tournaments to win cash prizes or earn redeemable tickets. However, a recent lawsuit filed in Texas claims that instead of competing against real people, players are actually playing against bots. The lawsuit names AviaGames' co-founders, Vickie Chen and Ping Wang, as well as investors such as Digital Capital Management and Acme Capital, as defendants. According to the complaint, 'the entire premise of Avia's platform is false,' as the company's computers allegedly populate and control games with bots that can impact the outcome. The lawsuit argues that AviaGames' games are manipulated games of chance, equivalent to an unapproved gambling enterprise, rather than games of skill as advertised. This lawsuit follows an ongoing litigation between AviaGames and rival platform Skillz, which has accused AviaGames of copying its game design and infringing on its patents. Skillz has claimed to have found evidence that AviaGames uses unbeatable bots as player opponents, constituting illegal gambling. The class action lawsuit builds upon this evidence, stating that 'every cash game offered by AviaGames in the US has a guide with a robot that guarantees the winning rate in favor of AviaGames against its customers.' AviaGames has not responded to requests for comment. The company is set to face Skillz in court on February 2, 2024.