In a major improvement revealed on October 21, 2025, Evolution AB, a world chief in on-line on line casino sport improvement, disclosed that Playtech Software Limited, a subsidiary of Playtech Plc, was behind the creation and dissemination of a defamatory report designed to break Evolution’s repute. The report, fabricated by the controversial investigation agency Black Cube, contained false claims and was meant to hurt Evolution’s enterprise in an anti-competitive method.
The involvement of Playtech in this scheme was stored underneath wraps for years, however Evolution’s authorized battle has lastly introduced the reality to mild. The firm revealed that Playtech had paid Black Cube over £1.8 million to manufacture and flow into the damaging report. Despite being dismissed by regulators in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and located to be untruthful by the New Jersey Superior Court, the report induced substantial reputational injury to Evolution and resulted in multi-billion-dollar losses.
Manipulative Tactics by Black Cube and Legal Repercussions
Black Cube, notorious for its use of deceitful and unethical strategies, engaged in covert operations to create the defamatory report. As half of their investigation, the agency performed secret interviews with present and former Evolution staff, utilizing false identities and disguises. These interviews had been recorded with out consent and selectively edited to construct a false narrative. The full scope of Black Cube’s ways raised critical moral considerations, together with the manipulation of proof to serve the specified final result.
Evolution was fast to disavow the allegations, with firm officers stating that the report misrepresented their feedback and that they had been unaware of any unlawful actions described. Evolution then pursued authorized motion, submitting a lawsuit in 2021 towards Calcagni & Kanefsky LLP, the regulation agency that facilitated the distribution of the defamatory report. Playtech, which had been trying to maintain its involvement a secret, was named in the lawsuit as soon as its function turned clear.
Chronology of Key Events and the Legal Struggle
In December 2020, Playtech employed Black Cube to conduct an “investigation” into Evolution, with the aim of producing a false report that might injury the corporate’s repute. Throughout 2021, Black Cube performed a collection of misleading interviews with key people at Evolution, finally compiling edited, deceptive video and audio recordings. The fabricated report was submitted to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) in November 2021 by Calcagni & Kanefsky LLP, a regulation agency paid to supervise the submission.
Once the report was leaked to Bloomberg and different media retailers, it sparked a collection of unfavorable articles, together with one by Bloomberg on November 16, 2021, which based mostly its reporting on the false allegations throughout the report. Despite a public outcry, Evolution maintained its innocence, and regulators started reviewing the claims made towards the corporate.
The court docket case, which Evolution filed in December 2021, took a number of years to unfold. The New Jersey Superior Court ultimately dismissed the defamatory claims, stating that the report lacked any factual foundation. In February 2024, state regulators cleared Evolution of any wrongdoing, with the NJDGE stating they’d discovered “no evidence” that Evolution engaged in unlawful actions.
Revelation of Playtech’s Involvement and Continued Legal Action
It was not till February 2025 that the New Jersey Superior Court ordered the regulation agency to reveal the identification of the shopper behind the defamatory marketing campaign. That determination finally revealed Playtech because the occasion accountable for commissioning the dangerous report. Despite this, Black Cube continues to withstand efforts to totally adjust to the court docket’s discovery orders, with the agency trying to protect its actions from scrutiny.
With Playtech’s involvement now confirmed, Evolution intends to amend its lawsuit, including the corporate to the checklist of defendants. Legal proceedings are anticipated to proceed into 2026, with Evolution decided to carry each Playtech and Black Cube accountable for the injury induced.
Next Steps
Evolution has amended its criticism to incorporate Playtech as a defendant. The litigation is predicted to proceed into 2026, as the corporate seeks accountability for the injury brought on by the defamatory report.
Source:
Playtech Unmasked as Black Cube Client Behind Defamatory Smear Campaign Targeting Evolution AB, information.cision.com, October 21, 2025
