According to Evolution, Playtech Software Limited, a subsidiary of Playtech plc, was identified as the client behind Black Cube, the private intelligence firm that allegedly orchestrated a 2021 smear campaign. Evolution says the firm was paid over £1.8 million to produce a report containing “knowingly false and inflammatory allegations.”
The Swedish supplier also claims that Calcagni & Kanefsky LLP, a U.S. law firm, was paid around $33,700 to submit the report to regulators, including the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), accompanied by what Evolution describes as a cover letter repeating fabricated accusations. 
Evolution alleges the report was part of an anti-competitive effort to undermine its business standing globally.
False Personas and Fabricated Claims
In its statement, Evolution said Black Cube’s operatives used fake identities and disguises to contact at least five current or former employees and board members under false pretences, secretly recording their conversations. These fragments were then “selectively edited” to suggest the company operated in sanctioned markets and supplied unlicensed operators—claims Evolution calls “baseless.”
The company also alleges that $10,000 was later paid to HeraldPR, a New York PR agency, to amplify the story. The report’s submission to regulators in November 2021 was followed by a Bloomberg article citing its claims—coverage that Evolution says caused “multi-billion-dollar damage” to its reputation.
Court Findings and Regulatory Rulings
Evolution filed a defamation and trade libel suit in December 2021 in the Superior Court of New Jersey. Over the next several years, court proceedings gradually exposed the parties involved.
By February 2024, both the NJDGE and PGCB had closed their inquiries, concluding there was “no evidence showing that Evolution took illegal bets” and “no indication of inappropriate payments.”
A year later, the New Jersey Superior Court declared the Black Cube report “not truthful”, ruling that Evolution had suffered measurable damage as a result. In September 2025, after identifying Black Cube as the author, the court further described the 2021 report as “objectively baseless” and the firm’s affidavit as “self-serving.”
Despite multiple disclosure orders, Evolution says Black Cube repeatedly withheld key information and pursued appeals to higher courts — all of which were rejected. Playtech was ultimately confirmed as the client, prompting Evolution to announce plans to amend its complaint to include the company as a defendant. Litigation is expected to continue into 2026.
Playtech Issues Strong Denial
In response, Playtech plc dismissed the accusations as “wholly untrue”, arguing that Evolution’s statements were designed to deflect attention from “serious questions about its own business practices.”
The company confirmed that Playtech Software Limited (PTS) had engaged an intelligence firm, but insisted the investigation was lawful and focused on verifying credible concerns raised by industry stakeholders.
“The investigation was undertaken lawfully to verify concerns of significant regulatory and commercial importance,” Playtech said in a statement.
“The report evidences that Evolution’s business practices undermine lawful and compliant gambling operations.”
Playtech added that it stands by its decision to commission the report and “welcomes court examination of its findings,” maintaining confidence in the legitimacy of its actions.
Compliance, Competition, and Consequences
The confrontation between Evolution and Playtech shines a harsh spotlight on the competitive and compliance-driven environment of modern iGaming.
Evolution views the episode as a calculated campaign to damage its reputation, while Playtech insists it acted in good faith to ensure regulatory transparency.
As both industry giants prepare for the next phase of litigation, the case is being closely monitored across the B2B gaming sector — one that could set a precedent for how far intelligence gathering and competitive investigations can go in a regulated market.iGaming sector.
