Playtech CEO Mor Weizer has defended the company’s activity in unregulated markets, arguing that they should not be treated as illegal jurisdictions as Playtech continues to criticise Evolution over alleged links to prohibited markets.
Playtech reported €66.4m in revenue from unregulated markets during the first half of 2026. The figure was 2% higher than a year earlier and accounted for 17% of total B2B revenue, although that share fell from 19% in H1 2025.
Focus on markets moving towards regulation
Weizer said Playtech’s business outside regulated markets is concentrated on jurisdictions that could introduce formal regulation. He pointed to the company’s presence in Brazil and the Netherlands before both countries opened regulated markets.
“Unregulated is not illegal. Illegal is illegal. Sanctioned is sanctioned. Supporting unlicensed should not happen,” Weizer said. “But unregulated markets that are about to become regulated are something that Playtech will likely consider continuing to do.”
He added that Playtech regularly evaluates the regulatory and legal position in each market. The company will continue supporting jurisdictions it believes may become regulated, or where it considers operations acceptable following the board’s ongoing risk assessment.
Weizer said the proportion of Playtech’s income generated by unregulated markets is likely to decline as more jurisdictions regulate online gambling and the company withdraws from some other markets.
“You should expect us to grow, or to see a lot of growth in regulated markets that will eventually result in the regulated part of our business becoming bigger and bigger over time,” he said.
Dispute with Evolution continues
Playtech has become involved in Evolution’s defamation case against Black Cube, the Israeli investigative firm hired by Playtech. Black Cube submitted a report alleging that Evolution supplied markets where gambling was illegal, as well as jurisdictions subject to US government sanctions.
Evolution has consistently denied the allegations. Relations between the companies deteriorated further after a report released during the court proceedings appeared to support several of Black Cube’s claims, according to Playtech.
Following the public release of the Spectrum Report, Playtech said it stood by its decision to commission Black Cube’s investigation. The company also said it believed Evolution’s legal action would ultimately establish the credibility of the concerns it had raised.
An Evolution source said Playtech had selectively quoted parts of the report and noted that investigators did not believe Evolution had “engaged in any illegal practices”.
Playtech executives declined to discuss the ongoing legal case in detail. Weizer said: “I have lots to say, but I can’t.”
