Playtech Unmasked: Evolution to Formally Sue Its Rival of Instigating a 2021 ‘Smearing Campaign’

In full-frontal iGaming wars, Evolution has identified its rival Playtech as standing behind a derogatory 2021 Black Cube report, which accused Evolution of bad business practices. The court case against whoever instigated the report, ongoing since 2021, is now taking on a whole new level of engagement and industry repercussions.

While Playtech’s involvement has been rumored for some time, Evolution was on the fence whether to include its rival in the latest court proceedings. However, new court documents unveiled in September 2025 have made it clear that Playtech was the primary client behind the covert investigation conducted by Black Cube, leaving little room to doubt.

Evolution Releases a Statement

As a result, Evolution did not mince words in the company’s latest, rather strongly worded statement, where it declared its intention to include Playtech’s name among the defendants in the case against a law firm representing Black Cube.

The statement reads, “It is deeply disturbing to learn that one of our competitors has gone to such extraordinary lengths to damage our business.” Reportedly, the paper at the center of the controversy, cost Playtech around £1.8 million (over $2 million). To conclude the statement, Evolution has positioned this action as a deliberate attempt to undermine its market reputation and disrupt its business growth.

Historical Perspective

The whole drama dates back to 2021, when a highly detailed dossier appeared out of the blue. Published by Black Cube, an Israeli private intelligence agency, the report accused Evolution of unethical behavior like misleading clients, manipulating user data, and launching games illegally in countries like Sudan, Iran, and China. (accusations since cleared by the regulators).

It didn’t take long for Evolution to reach, vehemently denying all allegations and immediately launching legal proceedings against both Black Cube and the law firms facilitating the report’s dissemination (Calcagni & Kanefsky LLP, in this case). The case initially focused on establishing who funded and orchestrated the report, but then moved towards seeking monumental damages for reputational harm.

The identity of the mastermind behind the campaign remained shrouded in mystery, with industry insiders speculating but lacking concrete proof. Playtech, Evolution’s main competitor in the live casino and iGaming market, was frequently suspected, but Evolution held back from making direct accusations until it had irrefutable evidence.

Playtech’s Involvement Uncovered

The irrefutable evidence emerged in September 2025. Ordered by the New Jersey Superior Court to unseal the hitherto hidden documents, the newly revealed Black Cube reports showed that it was Playtech that funded the dossier.

Lawyers for Evolution have now moved to expand the scope of the lawsuit, determined to hold Playtech accountable for what they describe as an orchestrated smear campaign designed to damage Evolution’s business prospects and affect its stock value.

As of now, Playtech has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement publicly.

The iGaming War Rages On

The unveiling of Playtech as the client behind the 2021 Black Cube report marks a new chapter in the ongoing iGaming conflict between two of the industry’s biggest providers of live casino action. Evolution’s decision to formally accuse Playtech is a bold move that will have a ground-shattering effect on the industry as a whole.

Beyond just demonstrating that there is a fierce rivalry between the leading industry names (we all knew that, anyway), it could shake investors’ confidence in the market and perhaps still its growth. On a more legal note, the case could set a precedent on how far competitors can or cannot go to sabotage their competitors.

And lastly, there are players. While the court case may bring more clarity as to what happened, it also highlights that, sometimes, not always, there are hidden currents of competition that shape the availability and development of gaming services.