Newly released court filings in New Jersey have uncovered details of Playtech’s agreement with private intelligence firm Black Cube during its 2021 investigation into Evolution. The documents confirm Playtech offered up to £500,000 if Evolution lost one of its gaming licences, with other milestone payments tied to evidence discovery, media exposure, and regulatory investigations.
Black Cube, staffed by former intelligence operatives, used undercover methods including false identities and secret recordings to build its report on Evolution’s operations in restricted markets. Playtech paid £675,000 for achieving three targets evidence gathering, media coverage, and regulatory engagement though regulators in New Jersey and Pennsylvania later closed the inquiries without finding misconduct.
The revelations emerged through depositions in a defamation case filed by Evolution against law firm Calcagni & Kanefsky LLP, which fronted the original report. Black Cube’s director, Dr. Avi Yanus, testified that Playtech was fully aware of the covert tactics used and continues to fund the firm’s legal expenses.
Playtech maintains that the report was commissioned to validate compliance concerns, not as a smear campaign, while Black Cube asserts that Evolution continues to operate in sanctioned markets even as of late 2025.
This case marks one of the most significant legal and reputational flashpoints in iGaming history, highlighting how intelligence operations, corporate competition, and regulatory scrutiny now intersect in the global online gaming sector.
