Playtech Claims Spectrum Report Supports Key Findings in Black Cube Dispute with Evolution

Playtech has publicly asserted that findings from the Spectrum Gaming Group Report, initiated by Evolution, reinforce several of the core claims made by private intelligence firm Black Cube regarding Evolution’s practices in prohibited markets. This position emerges amidst ongoing litigation between the London-listed supplier Playtech and Evolution, following allegations that Playtech’s earlier Black Cube-commissioned investigation contained what Evolution labelled as knowingly false and inflammatory statements.

Litigation Background: Evolution, Playtech, and Black Cube

The legal dispute began in October 2025 when Evolution initiated defamation proceedings, accusing Playtech of orchestrating an investigation through Black Cube. Law firm Calcagni & Kanefsky released the Black Cube report publicly, prompting Evolution to respond with litigation in both the US and UK. The case grew in complexity when Black Cube, on 8 September 2026, submitted findings from the Spectrum Report—research Evolution itself had commissioned from Spectrum Gaming Group, a US-based consultancy.

Playtech has leveraged this latest filing to claim that the Spectrum Report’s conclusions align with Black Cube’s core contentions: namely, the ongoing availability of Evolution’s games in markets where online gambling is illegal, unresolved regulatory implications, and a lack of active monitoring of client compliance. Among the initial allegations by Black Cube: Evolution’s game content being accessible in Sudan, Syria, Iran, Singapore, and Hong Kong, as well as through unlicensed third parties in Spain, Italy, and Sweden. While the Spectrum Report could not verify every claim—particularly, it was unable to confirm or refute direct access in Sudan, Syria, or Iran—the overall implication, according to Playtech, is that Evolution faces continuing compliance risks.

Spectrum Report’s Findings on Evolution’s Markets and Compliance

The Spectrum Report highlighted several observations directly correlating with Black Cube’s concerns.

“We were able to specifically corroborate the accusations regarding the use of Evolution’s games in regions such as Hong Kong, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates (‘UAE’) and Saudi Arabia,” Spectrum stated. The consultancy confirmed its own investigators accessed Evolution titles via VPNs from countries where online gambling remains illegal, including Hong Kong, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore, using sites like bitcasino.com and stake.com.

Spectrum also found that:

• Contract compliance: Although Evolution’s contracts expressly prohibit game access in these blacklisted jurisdictions, Spectrum’s investigators documented breaches by certain client operators.
• Monitoring gaps: “Evolution does not engage in any ongoing review of the actions of its clients, or of the sub-licensees, to monitor ... compliance with ... contracts”, the report said. This lack of oversight exposes the supplier to contract violations, as games may continue to be accessible in prohibited markets.
• Remedial action: Spectrum noted Evolution had taken no remedial steps to block sites or enforce contractual terms despite being notified of the problem.

With respect to specific allegations regarding Sudan, Syria, and Iran, Spectrum was unable to achieve a definitive finding since Evolution did not supply the required player or revenue data from those jurisdictions, preventing full verification.

AML, KYC and Virtual Currency Issues at Evolution

The Spectrum Report also explored anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) compliance. Spectrum concluded Evolution conducts no proactive audits on operator compliance when it comes to AML, KYC, or local regulations—a "significant compliance issue" by Spectrum’s standards.

“Evolution does not take any proactive steps to ensure that the operators are complying with the terms of the contracts, including AML, KYC, and local statutes or regulations. In our judgement, this is a significant compliance issue,” the report stated.

On the subject of payments, Black Cube alleged—and Spectrum confirmed—instances where wagers were made using virtual currencies despite Evolution’s policies stipulating only fiat currency transactions are permitted. Analysis of a 75-page spreadsheet of player activity suggested approximately 11.5% of the sessions involved four major virtual currencies. Under Evolution’s contractual terms, use of virtual currency would require stricter due diligence from operators—a process not monitored by Evolution, according to Spectrum.

Public Disclosure and Continuing Dispute

Playtech praised the decision to release the Spectrum Report and reiterated its own confidence in the original Black Cube findings. According to Playtech, the public nature of the Spectrum report casts doubt on Evolution’s earlier insistence that it was exculpatory, with Playtech stating the real reason for confidentiality was the substantiation of Black Cube’s main compliance concerns.

Playtech’s statement read:

"Spectrum reported that Evolution ‘does not take any proactive steps’ to ensure that the customer-facing gambling operators using its products ‘are complying with the terms of the contracts’."

The company added its belief that regulatory authorities and judicial bodies should now review these findings, reiterating that they expect litigation to uphold the legitimacy of the Black Cube investigation and the concerns raised.

Regulatory and Market Backdrop

There have been further regulatory developments since the dispute began. The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, in February 2024, found Evolution had not operated directly in prohibited jurisdictions. The UK Gambling Commission in July required Evolution to pay a £4.75m settlement after its games were discovered on unlicensed UK-facing operator sites—an incident that nearly led to a licence suspension.

Separately, in June 2026, the Superior Court of New Jersey declined Evolution’s attempt to add Playtech as a further defendant in the Black Cube matter, setting a UPEPA hearing for November 2026 involving Evolution, Black Cube, and Calcagni & Kanefsky. Evolution may pursue new claims against Playtech after this hearing.

Recent market data shows Playtech’s shares down 1.3% to 399p in early trading, while Evolution’s remain unchanged at SEK858 (£66). In August, Evolution’s board urged shareholders to reject a SEK131.7bn buyout offer from Kenneth Dart.

What the Spectrum Report Means for Compliance in B2B Live Casino

The Spectrum report’s publication has added weight to industry dialogue over regulation, compliance, and risk management in cross-jurisdictional live casino supply. Its findings underline the ongoing challenge for B2B providers to monitor downstream operator activity and enforce contractual restrictions, particularly in grey and black markets. With both the US and UK legal environments closely watching how suppliers implement AML, KYC, and regional controls, the outcomes of the current litigation could influence b2b compliance strategies sector-wide.