Court filings submitted on November 3, 2025, in the Superior Court of New Jersey have shed light on Playtech’s role in a defamation case brought by Evolution AB against the investigative firm Black Cube and law firm Calcagni & Kanefsky LLP. The documents identify Playtech Software Limited as the company that financed a 2021 report containing false allegations about Evolution’s operations in restricted jurisdictions.
Playtech’s Contract and Success Fee Structure
According to the newly filed materials, Playtech formalized an engagement agreement with Black Cube on December 30, 2020. The contract outlined an upfront payment of £400,000 and included several performance-based “success fees” contingent upon specific outcomes. These included £150,000 for uncovering alleged misconduct by Evolution, £175,000 for securing coverage in major media, £350,000 if regulators initiated a formal investigation, and £500,000 should Evolution lose a gambling licence. The total amount of these incentives was capped at £800,000.
The filings note that Playtech’s former Chief Financial Officer, Andrew Smith, initially signed the engagement letter but ceased involvement following his 2022 departure from the company. Subsequent communication with Black Cube was handled by Playtech executives, including Chief Executive Officer Mor Weizer, Senior Vice President Daniel Polturak, Vice President of Business Development Uri Levy, and former Live Gaming CEO Edo Haitin.
Testimony Describes Deceptive Tactics
The court filings incorporate testimony from Black Cube founder and director Dr. Avi Yanus, who confirmed that the firm’s operatives used false identities and conducted covertly recorded interviews during the 2021 investigation. Around 20 individuals linked to Evolution were contacted, but only interviews that supported the report’s accusations were shared with regulatory bodies.
According to Dr. Yanus’s deposition, Black Cube also attempted to access Evolution’s games from prohibited jurisdictions, including Iran and Sudan. Most attempts were unsuccessful, but the evidence demonstrating these failures was omitted from the final report. Yanus admitted under oath that such examples were excluded because he deemed them “irrelevant.”
Evolution’s filings claim that the omissions and selective editing of interviews contributed to a misleading report. Regulators later determined that the allegations lacked merit — both the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board concluded in 2022 that there was no evidence of wrongdoing by Evolution.
Legal Proceedings Continue into 2026
In its accompanying memorandum, Evolution argued that Black Cube’s attempt to have the defamation case dismissed under New Jersey’s anti-SLAPP statute should be rejected. The company contends that the evidence establishes the report and resulting media coverage were part of a coordinated effort to damage its reputation and commercial standing.
Playtech’s connection to the case was first revealed earlier in 2025, when court orders forced the disclosure of the client behind the disputed 2021 report. The most recent filings expand upon those disclosures, presenting documentation and witness statements directly linking Playtech to commissioning the investigation and detailing the financial terms behind it.
The case remains before the New Jersey Superior Court, where proceedings are expected to continue into 2026 as further testimony and evidence are reviewed.
Source:
Evolution Court Filings Detail Playtech’s Black Cube Engagement, LCB.org, November 4, 2025.
