Playtech has insisted it “stands by the decision” to commission Black Cube to file a report on Evolution’s alleged black market activity.
Earlier on Tuesday, 21 October, Evolution unmasked Playtech as the client behind the 2021 report which claimed Evolution was active in illegal markets including Syria and Sudan.
Playtech has since issued its own statement, in which the company said it stood by its decision to commission Black Cube to investigate Evolution.
The London-listed supplier added that Evolution’s claims the investigation was a “smear campaign” are “wholly untrue and [are] designed to distract from serious questions about Evolution’s business practices”.
Playtech confirmed its subsidiary Playtech Software Limited commissioned Black Cube to investigate “credible and repeated concerns raised by operators, suppliers and regulators about Evolution’s activities in prohibited and sanctioned markets”.
Playtech also said the concerns related to Evolution’s supply of games to unlicensed operators in regulated markets.
“The investigation was undertaken lawfully to better understand and verify concerns of significant regulatory and commercial importance,” Playtech said.
The supplier argued the report “clearly evidences” that Evolution’s business practices “undermine lawful and compliant gambling operations”.
Playtech added Evolution’s operations had damaged trust in the gambling industry and impacted tax revenue collection across the globe.
Playtech said: “Playtech stands by the decision to commission the report. Evolution continues to seek to avoid legitimate scrutiny rather than address longstanding questions about its conduct, including its decision to supply operators in illegal markets and to support unlicensed operators in regulated markets.
“Playtech welcomes court examination of the report and its findings. Playtech is confident that these proceedings will confirm the credibility and legitimacy of the investigation and the importance of the issues it seeks to address.”
In its own statement issued this morning, Evolution provided a detailed alleged timeline of Playtech’s involvement in the production of the “defamatory report”.
Evolution claimed Playtech paid Black Cube more than £1.8m to produce the report, having engaged the intelligence body in December 2020.
Evolution said: “High-level executives, including but not limited to CEO Mor Weizer, communicated with Black Cube regarding the investigation and report.”
Evolution has also added Playtech to its existing lawsuit, which includes Black Cube and its legal representation Calcagni & Kanefsky LLP, as a defendant.
Playtech’s shares were down more than 28% at the time of writing to 246p.
EGR has contacted Evolution for comment.
The post Playtech “stands by” decision to commission 2021 report into Evolution first appeared on EGR Intel.
London-listed supplier issues immediate response to unmasking as Black Cube client, stating the investigation was commissioned following “credible and repeated concerns raised by operators, suppliers and regulators”
The post Playtech “stands by” decision to commission 2021 report into Evolution first appeared on EGR Intel.