Could Evolution’s media offensive be their biggest mistake?
By unleashing a media storm around Playtech and Black Cube, Evolution has made an incredibly aggressive move regarding their public image. The goal was clear: to present themselves as a victim of the competition’s dirty tricks and push their rival onto the defensive. However, this strategy, while effective in the short term, could turn out to be a shot in the foot for the Swedish giant. In the world of global finance and regulation, a phenomenon known as the “Barbra Streisand effect” exists – and Evolution may have just activated it on its own terms
The Streisand effect describes a situation where an attempt to censor or remove certain information has the opposite effect – a sudden, exponential increase in interest in what was meant to remain hidden. By making public the fact that Playtech was behind the controversial report, Evolution counted on market sympathy and the condemnation of its rival. True, Playtech was put in the pillory, and its shares plunged. But at the same time, Evolution directed the spotlight straight onto the contents of the report it so greatly feared.
Spotlights Directed at the Business Model
Until recently, the matter was an internal tussle between titans. Today, thanks to Evolution’s offensive, a much wider group of entities than just industry insiders is looking at it. We are talking about financial analysts, mainstream media, and most importantly – international regulators.
For many of them, iGaming and the complex business models of individual companies are largely unknown and non-transparent. The industry has skillfully operated in the shadows for years. However, a scandal of the scale of corporate espionage guarantees that the topic will be debated in various markets and will shed light on practices we would prefer not to read about.
And here lies the fundamental risk for Evolution: new observers will not focus solely on Playtech as the commissioner or on the dubious methods of Black Cube. Instead, they will start asking questions about the content of the report itself. What exactly was Evolution accused of? In short: knowingly offering its products in markets where online gambling is illegal or unregulated.
The Smokescreen and the Core Issue
It is clear that Evolution is trying to shift responsibility and blur the overall picture. The narrative focuses on “slander,” “manipulations,” and “unethical” intelligence tactics. This is a classic attempt to distract from the substance – attacking the messenger to avoid discussing the message.
Playtech, although on the defensive, strategically tries in its response to draw attention to what should be the key to this debate: Evolution’s unethical and potentially law-breaking activities. Regardless of how we assess Black Cube’s information-gathering methods, the seriousness of the allegations cannot be ignored. If the live casino industry potentate is indeed profiting from the grey market, then the way this information surfaced is secondary to the actual fact of potential law-breaking.
Who Will Win in the Long Term?
The information about Playtech’s involvement immediately left a mark on their shares and the company’s image has suffered. In the short term, Evolution may triumph, observing the troubles of its biggest competitor.
But who knows if, in the long term, Playtech won’t win this war? If international regulators – encouraged by the media noise caused by Evolution itself – begin to thoroughly investigate the Swedish company’s activities based on the report’s allegations, the situation could change dramatically.