Playtech named the architect of a Black Cube report 2021, a scathing smear campaign targeted at Evolution AB, accusing the company of unethical business conduct. Evolution is now formally suing its gaming industry rival, arguing irreparable business damage.
NEXT.io has exposed Playtech as the mysterious company that paid the private intelligence agency Black Cube £1.8 million to produce the controversial 2021 Evolution "prohibited markets" report. The news that this Israeli agency had been hired by one of Evolution's rivals ends one of the most intriguing mysteries in iGaming history. This revelation could now leave the Mor Weizer-led company facing billions in potential legal damages.
This breakthrough comes after nearly five years of intense legal battles in New Jersey. Evolution fought to uncover both the report's authors and its funders. The company's CEO, Martin Carlesund, expressed deep disappointment. It was hard for him to understand how a competitor could use deception and falsehoods to damage another company's reputation and success.
Evolution released a strong statement after discovering Playtech's role in the smear campaign. The company said Playtech paid over £1.8 million to the controversial firm Black Cube to create a false report filled with damaging claims. The report was sent to regulators by the law firm Calcagni & Kanefsky LLP, which represented Black Cube, and deliberately leaked to the media.
Two U.S. state regulators later found the report lacked any evidence. The New Jersey Superior Court even ruled it was false and defamatory. Despite those findings, the report caused Evolution billions of dollars in damage. Evolution also highlighted Black Cube's reputation for using deceitful and unethical tactics.
The company said the firm misled people by pretending to be someone else. It arranged fake meetings with current and former employees and secretly recorded conversations. There's also a case of selectively editing recordings to create a false story. Those who were featured in the report later said their comments had been twisted and taken out of context.
So, Evolution filed a lawsuit in 2021 against the law firm and the unidentified parties behind the report. After years of legal battles, the New Jersey Superior Court found that the defendants had created and spread false claims to deliberately harm Evolution's business. The court ordered them to reveal who was behind it. Playtech has now been confirmed as the main party responsible.
Evolution said that, while Playtech's role is now clear, Black Cube still refuses to comply with the court's orders. The company vowed to continue pursuing justice and hold Playtech and others involved accountable.
Here's how it went:
1. December 2020
Playtech launched a campaign to damage Evolution's reputation. It hired the controversial Black Cube to create a false report accusing Evolution of regulatory breaches. CEO Mor Weizer and other senior Playtech executives were directly involved in guiding the process.
Black Cube carried out a deceptive ‘investigation’ throughout 2021. It used fake identities, disguises, and pretenses to meet with current and former Evolution employees. They secretly recorded conversations, then edited and manipulated them to produce a misleading report full of false allegations.
The law firm Calcagni & Kanefsky LLP sent this report to U.S. regulators after being paid around $33,700. Days later, Bloomberg published an article repeating the claims, which spread quickly across the media.
Soon after, Black Cube paid $10,000 to HeraldPR. This New York-based public relations firm was founded by Juda S. Engelmayer. According to The New York Times, Engelmayer has earned a reputation as a ‘go-to guy among a particular subset of alleged fraudsters and predators,’
Playtech denied Evolution's accusations. The company described them as completely false and a distraction from “serious concerns about Evolution's business practices”. The team said it stood by its decision to commission the report and welcomed a full court review of the matter. Playtech claims that its subsidiary hired an independent firm to look into repeated complaints about Evolution's activities. The company insisted that the investigation was conducted legally and aimed at addressing important regulatory concerns.
Playtech said the report from its investigation showed that Evolution's business practices hurt fair and lawful gambling operations. The company defended its decision to commission the report, claiming Evolution was trying to avoid proper scrutiny instead of addressing concerns about `supplying operators in illegal and unlicensed markets. Playtech said it welcomed a court review of the report and was confident the process would confirm the investigation's credibility and importance.
Evolution intends to update its lawsuit to officially include Playtech as a defendant. The case can now move forward with full clarity. Evolution says it's ready for the long fight ahead. This court battle is expected to continue into 2026.
Blackjack
Slots
Roulette
Baccarat
Craps
Poker
