A four-year-old business report has reignited tensions between gaming technology rivals Evolution AB and Playtech PLC, after a New Jersey court revealed that Playtech commissioned the document at the center of a defamation lawsuit filed by Evolution.
The Swedish gaming firm announced on Tuesday that it had learned, through court discovery, that Playtech Software Limited, a subsidiary of Playtech PLC, was responsible for hiring private intelligence agency Black Cube in 2020 to prepare and distribute a report accusing Evolution of operating illegally in restricted markets such as China, Iran, and Sudan. All three countries prohibit gambling. Evolution has consistently denied the allegations.
“It is deeply disturbing to learn that one of our competitors has gone to such extraordinary lengths to damage our business and reputation by hiring Black Cube and paying them over 1.8 million GBP to fabricate a report they knew would have extremely harmful repercussions,” Evolution said in its statement.
The revelation follows a court order compelling Black Cube to disclose its client’s identity, ending years of speculation about who commissioned the controversial report. The disclosure came amid ongoing defamation proceedings filed by Evolution in New Jersey Superior Court in December 2021 against Black Cube, law firm Calcagni & Kanefsky LLP, and unnamed parties, now identified as Playtech.
The report, produced by Black Cube and distributed via Calcagni & Kanefsky in November 2021, was submitted to regulators in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and leaked to media outlets, including Bloomberg. It alleged that Evolution provided gaming services to unlicensed operators and accepted bets from prohibited jurisdictions.
Regulatory inquiries followed but concluded in February 2024 without action. Both the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) found “no evidence” of illegal activity, according to court findings. The New Jersey Superior Court later ruled that the 2021 report was “not truthful” and “objectively baseless.”
In its lawsuit, Evolution claims that Playtech’s actions were “anti-competitive” and designed to inflict financial harm. The company alleges that Black Cube used “highly unethical tactics,” including false identities and covert recordings of current and former employees, to create misleading evidence supporting a predetermined narrative.
“Black Cube has a well-documented history of using deceitful methods to sway public opinion by launching smear campaigns on behalf of its clients,” Evolution added.
Playtech, for its part, has not denied commissioning the investigation but disputes Evolution’s portrayal of it as a smear campaign. “The suggestion that its [Playtech’s] subsidiary, Playtech Software Limited, engaged in a smear campaign is wholly untrue and is designed to distract from serious questions about Evolution’s business practices,” the company said in a statement to SBC Americas.
“The investigation was undertaken lawfully to better understand and verify concerns of significant regulatory and commercial importance, the statement adds.” Court records indicate that Playtech paid Black Cube more than £1.8 million ($2.4 million) for the work, while Calcagni & Kanefsky received roughly $33,700 for submitting the report to U.S. regulators.
Evolution’s original complaint alleges defamation, trade libel, fraud, and interference with business relations. The company claims the report caused “multi-billion dollar damage” to its business and reputation. It now plans to formally amend its complaint to include Playtech as a defendant.
Playtech shares fell sharply following the announcement, declining more than 30% to their lowest level since early 2020. Evolution’s stock remained largely stable on the Stockholm exchange.
Despite years of litigation, Evolution maintains that key evidence remains undisclosed. “Although Playtech has finally been identified after years of trying to keep its involvement in this smear campaign a secret, Black Cube continues to evade the Court’s discovery orders by withholding relevant information,” Evolution said.
“We will continue to hold Black Cube, Playtech, and all the other players in this defamatory scheme responsible for their misconduct," the company added.
Black Cube’s appeal attempts to block disclosure were rejected by the New Jersey Appellate Division and the state’s Supreme Court in September 2025. The case, now set to include Playtech, is expected to proceed through 2026.
Playtech has said it stands by its decision to commission the investigation: “Evolution continues to seek to avoid legitimate scrutiny rather than address longstanding questions about its conduct, including its decision to supply operators in illegal markets and to support unlicensed operators in regulated markets.”