Court documents filed on November 3, 2025, in the Superior Court of New Jersey provide new insight into the defamation lawsuit initiated by Evolution AB against investigative agency Black Cube and law firm Calcagni & Kanefsky LLP. The filings name Playtech Software Limited as the company behind a 2021 report containing false allegations aimed at Evolution, a direct competitor in the online gaming sector.
According to the filings, Playtech entered into an engagement agreement with Black Cube on December 30, 2020. The contract stipulated an initial payment of £400,000, along with conditional “success fees” linked to specific outcomes. These incentives included £150,000 for uncovering alleged misconduct by Evolution, £175,000 for obtaining coverage of the story in a major media outlet, £350,000 for prompting a regulatory investigation, and £500,000 if Evolution’s license was revoked. Total potential success fees were capped at £800,000.
Playtech’s former CFO Andrew Smith signed the initial engagement but ceased involvement after leaving the company in 2022. Dr. Avi Yanus, Black Cube’s founder and director, testified that subsequent communications and oversight were handled by Playtech CEO Mor Weizer, Senior Vice President Daniel Polturak, Vice President of Business Development Uri Levy, and former Live Gaming CEO Edo Haitin.
Alleged Deceptive Tactics in Investigation
Deposition testimony detailed in the filings outlines the methods Black Cube used during its 2021 investigation. Dr. Yanus confirmed that operatives assumed false identities and conducted covertly recorded interviews with former Evolution employees and associates. Approximately 20 individuals were contacted, but only interviews that supported the report’s claims were submitted to regulators.
The filings further describe Black Cube’s attempts to access Evolution’s games from restricted jurisdictions such as Iran and Sudan. Most attempts were unsuccessful, and evidence showing that the games could not be accessed was omitted from the report. Dr. Yanus admitted under oath that examples of blocked access were excluded because he considered them “irrelevant.”
Evolution asserts that these omissions, along with selective editing and misrepresentation of quotes, contributed to a report later deemed “objectively baseless” by regulators. Reviews by both the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board in 2022 found no evidence of wrongdoing by Evolution, affirming the company’s compliance record.
Legal Battle Advances
In a memorandum accompanying its filing, Evolution challenges Black Cube’s petition for dismissal under New Jersey’s anti-SLAPP law, arguing it is without merit. The company maintains that the 2021 report and related publicity campaign were commercially motivated actions designed to damage its reputation and market position.
Playtech’s connection to the report first emerged publicly in early 2025 following court orders that compelled disclosure of the client behind the 2021 report. The latest filings provide additional testimony and documentation directly linking Playtech to the commissioning of the report, detailing the financial incentives and objectives tied to the investigation.
The ongoing litigation continues in the New Jersey Superior Court, with proceedings expected to extend into 2026. The case highlights the intersection of corporate competition, private investigations, and regulatory oversight, demonstrating the legal complexities that can arise when intelligence firms are employed in corporate disputes.
Source:
Evolution’s Proposed Findings of Fact in Support of Its Opposition to Defendants’ Petitions for Orders to Show Cause, Superior Court of New Jersey, Atlantic County, Docket No. ATL-L-616-22, November 3, 2025;
Evolution’s Memorandum of Law in Opposition to Black Cube’s Petition for an Order to Show Cause, November 3, 2025.
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