Evolution Agrees £4.75M UKGC Settlement Over Games on Unlicensed Sites”

Swedish online gaming provider Evolution AB has agreed to pay £4.75 million (US$6.42 million) to settle a UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) license review that found the company’s games were accessible to British gamblers through unlicensed gaming websites.  

The Stockholm-listed gaming supplier announced Wednesday (July 15) that the case involved “two operators across six websites” that had circumvented the technical restrictions Evolution had in place at the time.

The supplier said it immediately terminated its relationship with the two operators and has since strengthened its controls.

No Broader Pattern

The announcement of the investigation in December 2024 caused Evolution shares to plunge 10%, despite the UK only accounting for about 3% of its revenues at the time. Analysts suggested investors were spooked that the review might spark regulatory action in additional territories.

However, the nearly 19-month review found “no broader pattern of unlicensed access to Evolution content in the UK,” according to the statement. The settlement resolves the matter in full, the company added.  

Evolution did not identify the two operators or the websites involved. As of Thursday (July 16), the UK Gambling Commission had also not publicly named them or released details of its investigation.

“At Evolution, we always want to do what is right, and it is not acceptable that six unlicensed sites offered Evolution content in the regulated UK market,” CEO Martin Carlesund said in the statement.  

“We do not want traffic from unlicensed operators and will always move quickly to address any such situation. We welcome the conclusion of the review and remain focused on continuing to supply our world-leading games to licensed operators in the UK,” Carlesund added.

Black Cube Defamation Suit

The settlement comes as Evolution continues to pursue a separate legal battle over allegations made in a 2021 report claiming the company operated in U.S.-sanctioned countries, including Iraq, Sudan and Syria.

Evolution denies those allegations and is suing the report’s author for defamation. Court filings say the report was prepared by Israeli intelligence firm Black Cube on behalf of Evolution competitor Playtech.

A subsequent investigation by New Jersey regulators found no regulatory violations, and Evolution was cleared of wrongdoing in February 2024.