New Jersey’s gaming regulator has closed its investigation into Evolution over allegations that the company defied U.S. trade sanctions. [Image: Shutterstock.com]
Close the case
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement is no longer investigating the world’s leading provider of live dealer casino games. It investigated allegations that Evolution supplied its products to countries that were under U.S. trade sanctions.
claimed not to be a direct competitor to Evolution
A law firm brought this to the attention of New Jersey regulators back in 2021 on behalf of an anonymous group. The law firm claimed their client flew investigators to restricted countries where they then had access to Evolution games. The group claimed not to be a direct competitor to Evolution.
vehemently rejects the claims
Evolution denied the allegations and believes they were made by a third party to discredit its business. It provided evidence of its relationships with gambling operators and regulators that block users from countries such as Sudan, Iran and Syria.
In a statement on the case, Evolution said that the “NJDGE found no evidence that Evolution has sanctioned, promoted, permitted or otherwise materially benefited from content made available by operators in markets that the regulator considers to be prohibited.”
it also conducted its own internal investigation
The Sweden-based company said it also conducted its own internal investigation. Although Evolution found that its compliance and due diligence processes were up to par, it went further and strengthened them even further.
Evolution described that users in restricted countries could only access its products through “sophisticated technical manipulation” such as using a VPN.
More problems on the horizon
Evolution only works with online casinos that have licenses for the markets in which they offer the company’s games. It is up to partners to conduct verification checks on their players, which contradicts claims that Evolution did not know its customers.
Evolution works with over 800 gambling site operators and employs over 19,000 people in North America and Sweden.
This isn’t the only case Evolution is fighting, as it also faces a class action lawsuit in Pennsylvania. The complaint, filed last month, alleges that the company misled its investors about its regulatory compliance and its growth prospects.
