In a statement, Playtech has pushed back hard against Evolution’s accusation that it funded a smear campaign. The company denies the claims as false. The Playtech Evolution dispute has now turned into a public showdown between two of the gambling industry’s biggest names.

• Playtech said its subsidiary, Playtech Software Limited (PTS), did not hire anyone to attack or defame Evolution. It called Evolution’s version of events “wholly untrue” and accused the rival of trying to shift focus away from long-standing questions about its operations.

• According to Playtech, “PTS commissioned an independent business intelligence firm to investigate credible and repeated concerns raised by operators, suppliers and regulators about Evolution’s activities”.

• The company said the investigation followed legal procedures and was aimed at confirming serious compliance and business risks. Playtech insists it acted responsibly to understand whether those concerns had merit.

• Playtech claims the investigation produced evidence showing that some of Evolution’s business practices could undermine regulated gambling. The company said this type of behavior hurts trust in the market and even affects government tax income.

• “Playtech stands by the decision to commission the report,” the company said. It argued that Evolution is trying to avoid answering legitimate questions rather than addressing the findings head-on.

• The dispute is now heading for court, where Playtech says it welcomes full scrutiny of the report and its conclusions. The company believes the process will confirm that the investigation was legitimate and the concerns raised were serious.

• Playtech added that it remains confident the court will recognize the credibility of the report and the importance of the issues behind it. For now, both companies remain locked in a very public and tense standoff.

Please find more news here.