Evolution AB, a global leader in B2B online casino game innovation, has yesterday revealed that Playtech Software Limited, a subsidiary of Playtech Plc, was responsible for commissioning a 2021 defamatory report produced by the controversial intelligence firm Black Cube. The revelation emerged through court discovery in Evolution’s ongoing defamation lawsuit in the Superior Court of New Jersey.
According to Evolution, Playtech allegedly paid more than £1.8 million to Black Cube to create and disseminate a report containing what the company describes as “highly inflammatory and knowingly false claims” designed to inflict substantial reputational and financial damage for competitive advantage.
Evolution claims that Playtech’s campaign began in December 2020, when the company hired Black Cube to fabricate a report accusing Evolution of regulatory violations. The “investigation,” carried out throughout 2021, allegedly involved deceptive practices, including impersonations, secret recordings of current and former Evolution employees, and manipulation of conversations to produce misleading content.
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The final report was distributed in November 2021 by the New Jersey law firm Calcagni & Kanefsky LLP to regulators in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Shortly after, Bloomberg published an article referencing the report, sparking widespread media coverage that Evolution says caused “multi-billion-dollar damage” to its business and reputation.
Regulators later dismissed the claims. Both the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) found no evidence of illegal activity or misconduct by Evolution, and in February 2024, they closed their investigations without taking any action
Evolution filed its defamation lawsuit in December 2021, naming Calcagni & Kanefsky LLP and unidentified parties, now revealed to include Black Cube and Playtech. The company accused the parties of defamation, trade libel, tortious interference, fraud, and related misconduct.
Over several years of litigation, the New Jersey Superior Court determined that the report was “untruthful” and “objectively baseless,” ruling that it was intended to harm Evolution’s business. The court also ordered the disclosure of the client behind the report — which, after years of concealment, has now been identified as Playtech.
Despite court orders, Evolution alleges that Black Cube has continued to withhold relevant information. The intelligence firm’s attempts to appeal to higher courts to block disclosure were unsuccessful.
Evolution confirmed that it plans to amend its lawsuit to formally include Playtech as a defendant. The company says it remains committed to pursuing legal accountability for all parties involved in what it calls an “anti-competitive and malicious smear campaign.”
“We will continue to hold Black Cube, Playtech, and all others responsible for this defamatory scheme accountable,” the company stated. “We are confident in our legal position and look forward to seeing justice served.”
The litigation, which has already spanned nearly four years, is expected to continue into 2026 as Evolution seeks damages and legal remedies for the alleged reputational and financial harm caused by the campaign.
