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

Posted on: July 16, 2026, 08:59h.

Last updated on: July 16, 2026, 10:16h.

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Philip Conneller In Philip Conneller’s eight years with Casino.org, he has covered the gaming industry from Las Vegas to Macau and everything in between. He currently focuses his coverage on gaming law, white-collar crime, global money laundering, tribal gaming, politics, and regulation...
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Key Points

Evolution said two operators across six websites bypassed technical restrictions allowing its games to reach UK customers without authorization
The supplier ended both operator relationships immediately and says the 19-month UKGC review found no wider compliance failures
The investigation wiped about 10% off Evolution's share price as investors feared broader regulatory action beyond the UK

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.

Evolution, UK Gambling Commission, UKGC, unlicensed gambling websites, gambling regulation — Evolution said two operators across six websites bypassed technical restrictions allowing its games to reach UK customers without authorization. (Image: Shutterstock)

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.

In Philip Conneller’s eight years with Casino.org, he has covered the gaming industry from Las Vegas to Macau and everything in between. He currently focuses his coverage on gaming law, white-collar crime, global money laundering, tribal gaming, politics, and regulation.

Philip was the original features editor for poker’s Bluff Magazine and editor for Bluff Europe, which he helped launch. His writing has also been featured in ESPN, Forbes, Time Out, The Sun, and The Daily Star, as well as iGaming Business, eGaming Review, and numerous other industry news and tech websites.

His news stories for Casino.org/news have been linked by The Washington Post, The Daily Mail, People Magazine, and Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show, among many others.

Philip once won $20,000 with 7-2 off-suit. He has been reprimanded for unwittingly playing Elton John’s piano on two separate occasions on both sides of the Atlantic.

He became a writer because he is a lousy pianist.

Philip lives outside London with his wife and children, where he spends his time agonizing about Arsenal FC.

Contact Philip at philip.conneller@casino.org.