IGT, Scientific Games to share patented slots game features

Rival gaming technology firms International Game Technology (IGT) and Scientific Games Corporation have inked a deal to share proprietary game features.

On Tuesday, IGT and Sci-Games announced the signing of a ‘patent cross-licensing agreement.’ The deal will allow the companies, which hold the two largest slots game features patent portfolios in North America, to offer games using patented game features from each other’s portfolios, as well as those of other members of the the IGT slots game features pool.

The brief release by IGT – there was no corresponding communiqué from Sci-Games – stated that financial terms of the deal weren’t not disclosed. All other details regarding the extent and limitations of the new arrangement went left unsaid.

IGT has inked similar deals of late, including a cross-licensing agreement with electronic gaming machine maker Everi Games Holdings last October, under which Everi agreed to pay licensing fees to access IGT game features. That same month, IGT signed a deal with Aristocrat Leisure Ltd that covered intellectual property including game features and system patents.