Evolution has named Playtech as the company behind a smear campaign about its business.
Evolution has accused Playtech Software, a subsidiary of Playtech, of ordering an investigation from Black Cube. The report allegedly contained highly inflammatory and knowingly false claims about Evolution’s business operations. The company says this was done to harm Evolution for anti-competitive reasons.
According to Evolution, the case dates back to December 2020 when Playtech started working with intelligence firm from Black Cube.
Evolution states that the developer commissioned the controversial report to destroy its reputation. High-level Playtech executives, including CEO Mor Weizer, provided input on the report.
PlayTech issued an almost-immediate response to Evolution’s statement on Tuesday. It insisted that claims of a smear campaign are wholly untrue. The company said these claims are designed to distract from serious questions about Evolution’s business practices.
The supplier giant said its subsidiary approached an independent investigator. The goal was to examine credible and repeated concerns from operators, suppliers, and regulators. These concerns focused on Evolution’s activities in prohibited and sanctioned markets. The probe also targeted the extent of the supply of Evolution to unlicensed operators in regulated markets.
It added that the team conducted the investigation lawfully to understand and verify concerns of significant regulatory and commercial importance.
PlayTech said the report, published as a result of the investigation, provides clear evidence. It shows that Evolution’s business practices undermine lawful and compliant gambling operations. Such conduct damages trust in the credibility of the entire industry and also ultimately impacts government tax collection.
They added that Playtech stands by the decision to commission the report. Evolution continues to avoid legitimate scrutiny. The company has not addressed longstanding questions about its conduct. These include supplying operators in illegal markets and supporting unlicensed operators in regulated markets.
The Gambling Commission of Great Britain initiated a review of Evolution’s supplier license in December last year. The review began after it discovered that the company’s games had been provided to unlicensed operators in the country.
