Evolution Identifies Playtech as Client Behind 2021 Black Cube Report

^{Playtech’s shares fell more than 38% after Evolution revealed that the company had hired Black Cube to commission a controversial 2021 report. (Photo: M4OS Photos / Alamy)}

Live dealer online casino game provider Evolution announced Tuesday that Playtech Software Limited was the company behind a 2021 report that accused Evolution of operating illegally in restricted markets.

The discovery came as part of the ongoing defamation lawsuit Evolution filed against the Calcagni & Kanefsky (CK) law firm in New Jersey.

In a statement released on Oct. 21, 2025, Evolution said that court discovery materials revealed that Playtech hired the Israeli private intelligence firm Black Cube to conduct the investigation.

Anonymous Complaint Leads to Extended Legal Battle

The case centers on an anonymous complaint sent by CK to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) in 2021. The complaint alleged that Evolution was operating in restricted jurisdictions while also doing business in other countries that were under sanctions from the United States.

Both the NJDGE and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board independently investigated those allegations and found no wrongdoing on Evolution’s part. Evolution then filed its defamation lawsuit against CK in New Jersey court, seeking to unmask the client behind the anonymous complaint. 

While CK attempted to block that effort, the New Jersey Supreme Court denied their motion in April 2025, leading CK to reveal that Black Cube had compiled the report. However, CK said it did not know who had commissioned the report, leaving the origins of the complaint unresolved.

But Evolution released a statement on Tuesday saying that it had finally uncovered Playtech as the client behind the 2021 Black Cube report.

“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,” the statement said.

Evolution Condemns Black Cube's 'Deceptive' Tactics

Evolution also questioned the investigatory tactics of Black Cube, saying that the firm’s report had “resulted in multi-billion-dollar damage to our company.”

The company also noted that Black Cube has a "well documented history" of imitating smear campaigns for their clients to damage their reputation.

“As part of its so-called investigation," Evolution said in its statement. "Black Cube used highly unethical tactics, including initiating meetings with current and former Evolution employees and board members under false pretenses and secretly recording those interactions; using disguises and falsified identities; and cherry-picking edited recordings to fabricate evidence to achieve its desired, false narrative.”

Playtech Acknowledges Report, Denies ‘Smear Campaign’

While Playtech has acknowledged that one of its subsidiaries was behind the report, it denies that there was any smear campaign to damage Evolution's reputation. Playtech alleged that Evolution’s statement is “designed to distract from serious questions about Evolution’s business practices.” 

“[Playtech Software Limited] commissioned an independent business intelligence firm to investigate credible and repeated concerns raised by operators, suppliers and regulators about Evolution’s activities in prohibited and sanctioned markets, and its supply to unlicensed operators in regulated markets,” a Playtech spokesperson said. “The investigation was undertaken lawfully to better understand and verify concerns of significant regulatory and commercial importance.”

Playtech’s stock price fell by more than 38% on Tuesday following Evolution's statement. Evolution also vowed to continue its legal battle in New Jersey Supreme Court.

“We will continue to hold Black Cube, Playtech, and all the other players in this defamatory scheme responsible for their misconduct,” Evolution wrote in its statement. “We are confident in our legal position and look forward to finally holding Playtech and its accomplices to account for the significant harm they have caused.”