Tim is a journalist, author, and columnist with two decades of experience writing for outlets like the BBC, the Guardian, and Chosun Ilbo. He is an expert on regulation, business, and industry and is fluent...
Read Full BioThe long-running battle between Aristocrat Gaming and Light & Wonder has taken a new turn, with the former announcing it has won the rights to operate land-based Monopoly-themed retail slots.
Light & Wonder, formerly Scientific Games, has partnered with the Monopoly IP holder Hasbro since the 1990s.
It penned its latest deal with Hasbro back in 2018, with the deal set to expire later this year. But Aristocrat appears to have stolen a march on its rival, announcing the launch of “all-new Monopoly-themed slot titles, beginning in early 2026.”
Light & Wonder appears to have been totally frozen out of the Hasbro-Monopoly picture. The developer Evolution announced June 1 that it has penned a multi-year agreement with the toy firm.
The deal makes Evolution Hasbro’s exclusive licensing partner for online live casino and slot games for Monopoly and its other IPs.
Evolution said the deal would take effect starting in January 2026. It said it would showcase a range of titles at the gaming industry event ICE Barcelona (January 19-21, 2026).
The firm teased the launch of the live online gaming titles Game Night, Monopoly Filthy Rich, and Monopoly Roulette. It also said a number of online slot titles would be forthcoming.
Evolution launched Monopoly Live, a live dealer, Monopoly-themed augmented reality (AR) game in mid-2019.
Aristocrat: Monopoly Deal to Launch in 2026
Aristocrat, meanwhile, said it was “excited to reintroduce one of the world’s most iconic brands to land-based slot games.”
Both Aristocrat and Evolution won competitive Hasbro RFP (Request for Proposal) bidding processes.
Craig Toner, the CEO of Aristocrat Gaming, said: “To be selected as Hasbro’s land-based slots partner, after a highly competitive process, is a proud milestone for Aristocrat Gaming.”
Claire Hunter Gregson, the Director of Gaming Relationships at Hasbro, meanwhile, said that Aristocrat was “the natural fit for the next evolution of the Monopoly brand in the gaming category.” She added: “We can’t wait for Monopoly fans to experience all-new premium gaming content on casino floors.”
Gregson also claimed that Evolution would “bring Hasbro brands to life in fresh, exciting ways for our adult fans.” She said the firms were “looking forward to our partnership.”
Light & Wonder and Aristocrat: Long-running Legal Battle
Light & Wonder and Aristocrat have been embroiled in a bitter legal struggle since last year. The latter claims that Light & Wonder infringed on the copyright of Aristocrat’s Dragon Link game to create its own Jewel of the Dragon slots title.
Aristocrat claims that the alleged copyright violation was carefully planned. Prior to the launch, Light & Wonder hired former Aristocrat executives and game designers.
In April this year, Light & Wonder said it would stop commercializing Jewel of the Dragon after Aristocrat launched a second amendment complaint.
But last month, Light & Wonder scored a legal coup over its rival. A branch of the Nevada District Court ruled that Aristocrat’s discovery request was too broad, a ruling that saw Light & Wonder shares rise by 10%.
