Evolution set to go to war with Playtech over defamation claims
Evolution has moved to escalate its ongoing legal battle in the United States by seeking court approval to amend its defamation lawsuit to include Playtech and several individuals as new defendants.
The case, before the New Jersey Superior Court, centres on allegations that a 2021 report accusing Evolution AB of regulatory breaches was deliberately fabricated and circulated to damage the company’s reputation and standing with regulators.
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Playtech is being added after Evolution claims new evidence shows the rival operator commissioned the report via intelligence firm Black Cube and played a direct role in its dissemination. The amended complaint accuses Playtech of orchestrating an anti-competitive campaign designed to trigger regulatory scrutiny and undermine Evolution’s North American business.
“It continues to be disappointing that a direct competitor would go to such extreme lengths to orchestrate a covert campaign designed to harm our business and avoid competing fairly in the marketplace,” Evolution said in a statement.
“We are formally naming Playtech in our lawsuit because the facts are clear: Playtech hired Black Cube to create and publicize a defamatory report designed to harm Evolution, all while misleading the market and lying to investors about its role.
“For nearly four years, Playtech spent millions of dollars in legal fees to conceal its involvement in this smear campaign and avoid accountability.”
The filing also expands the scope of allegations to include fraud, trade libel and racketeering, alongside claims Playtech concealed its involvement from investors.
The move marks a significant development in a dispute that has been ongoing since 2021, with regulators in New Jersey and Pennsylvania previously closing investigations into Evolution without taking action.
Evolution and Playtech have long been rivals in the online casino space, with both having very popular live dealer platforms, while also focussing on other forms of real money gambling.
