Evolution announced that it has asked the Superior Court of New Jersey for permission to amend its ongoing defamation lawsuit to add Playtech Plc, Juda Engelmayer and others as defendants.
The company alleges that Playtech orchestrated and financed a campaign designed to damage Evolution’s reputation and hinder its expansion in the North American market. The lawsuit, originally filed in December 2021, centers on a report produced by investigative firm Black Cube that accused Evolution of regulatory violations.
According to Evolution, Playtech engaged Black Cube in December 2020 to prepare and disseminate the report, which was later submitted to US gaming regulators and circulated to media outlets. Evolution claims the report relied on selectively edited recordings, omitted exculpatory evidence and presented allegations that were ultimately unsupported.
Court proceedings over the past two years have required disclosure of previously anonymous parties. In 2025, the New Jersey Superior Court ordered the identification of Black Cube’s client. Playtech was subsequently named as the entity that commissioned the report. Evolution alleges that engagement letters included six figure success fees tied to predetermined outcomes, including the publication of media coverage and the initiation of regulatory investigations.
Regulators in New Jersey and Pennsylvania concluded their reviews in February 2024 without revoking Evolution’s licenses. Court findings later described the 2021 report as objectively baseless in light of regulatory conclusions.
Evolution asserts that Playtech’s actions constituted defamation, trade libel and other anti competitive conduct. The operator stated that it remains confident in its compliance practices and intends to pursue accountability through the courts.
US regulators in New Jersey and Pennsylvania closed investigations into Evolution in 2024 without taking corrective action
