Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd (ASX:ALL) today announced it has reached agreement with International Game Technology, Inc (NYSE:IGT) to settle several intellectual property disputes. Under the agreement Aristocrat and IGT will enter in to a cross-licensing arrangement involving Aristocrat’s Hyperlink and Ante-Bet patents and IGT’s Alcorn patents.

The ongoing persecution of Internet gambling sites by the United States Department of Justice may be nearing an end after several years of acrimony. Word spreading throughout the online casino industry is that a large fine that will still not bankrupt the companies involved may be the settlement. Online casinos such as SportingBet and PartyGaming and their executives have been pursued by US law enforcement since the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in 2006.