Playtech Unmasked as Secret Sponsor of the 2021 Black Cube Report

After nearly four years of court battles and media releases, a New Jersey court identified Playtech as the anonymous client behind a ‘2021 smear campaign’ against Evolution Gaming. In a press release by Evolution AB dated October 21st, the Swedish company announced that it learned through discovery that Playtech Plc was responsible for commissioning the controversial 2021 Black Cube Report. 

The report alleged that Evolution Gaming has been supplying online casino games to ‘banned markets’ such as Syria, Sudan, and Iran. This was passed to US regulators via Calcagni & Kanefsky LLP, and the effects were swift and massive. The report caused major reputational damage—Evolution Gaming’s share price dropped 11%, wiping billions of dollars in market value, and the report was covered by major news outlets.

Playtech Execs Contacted Black Cube

According to multiple reports, high-ranking Playtech executives, including its CEO Mor Weizer,  contacted Black Cube to draft the investigation and report. Alongside Black Cube, the gaming company also contracted Calcagni & Kanefsky LLP, which acted as the report’s public face, and paid $33,700 for its services. 

Then, there was HeraldPR, a public relations company led by Juda S. Engelmayer, which was paid $10,000 to take part in the campaign. Engelmayer worked as Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer and spokesperson for a time, and has been characterised as having worked with ‘some fraudsters’ in the past.

According to Evolution’s complaint, Black Cube used fraudulent means and schemes to generate the report and collect information. Based on court proceedings, Black Cube agents posed as potential investors from sanctioned groups and countries, recording and misleading Evolution Gaming’s employees through disguises, fake meetings, and covert payments. The edited recordings were used as court evidence, but found to be lacking factual support.

Evolution Gaming is Surprised and Saddened by the Recent Development

In a statement, Evolution has expressed its disappointment with the recent twist in the case. The company shared that ’’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’’.

This report, which was given to US regulators and covered by the media, was determined by two state regulators to be lacking in evidence. Also, the New Jersey Superior Court has determined that the defamatory report was untruthful and lacked factual information. Evolution admitted that the findings and their dissemination have resulted in reputational and multi-million dollar damage.

What’s Next in the Playtech and Evolution Saga?

It’s expected that the legal dispute between the top two casino game providers will continue through 2026. The case highlighted the lengths industry stakeholders might go to in business warfare, using a variety of tactics to sway regulators and dominate markets.

Playtech has denied its hand in the smear campaign. In one of the interviews, Playtech did not mention Black Cube directly, but admitted that it ‘’commissioned an independent business intelligence firm to investigate credible and repeated concerns’’.

Both companies are active in the US casino and sweepstakes casino markets. Playtech has recently pulled out of California, after Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 831, following the steps of Evolution Gaming and Pragmatic Play.

REFERENCE:

• Evolution Gaming’s Press Release
• AB 831