Evolution's UK Licence Review Ongoing, Confirms UKGC
FOI disclosure reveals regulatory scrutiny of the major live casino and slots supplier has been active since December 2024.
The UK Gambling Commission has confirmed its regulatory review into B2B giant Evolution AB is still active. The disclosure, made via a Freedom of Information request, shows the investigation into the supplier behind NetEnt and Red Tiger has been underway since December 2024.
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UKGC Confirms Evolution Review is Active
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has confirmed that its regulatory review into major B2B software supplier Evolution AB is still underway. The confirmation came in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request dated 22 April 2025.
The disclosure reveals that the investigation, conducted under Section 116 of the Gambling Act 2005, was launched in December 2024 and remains active more than four months later.
Why This Matters to Consumers
A Section 116 review is a formal process used by the UKGC to determine whether a gambling licence holder has breached its licence conditions. Evolution AB is not an operator that players engage with directly, but a business-to-business (B2B) supplier that provides games to hundreds of UK-licensed online casinos.
Evolution is one of the largest and most influential suppliers in the industry. Its portfolio includes:
- Live Casino: A dominant provider of live dealer games like roulette, blackjack, and baccarat.
- Slots: Ownership of major slot studios including NetEnt, Red Tiger, and Big Time Gaming.
Because Evolution's games are featured on a vast number of UK gambling sites, any regulatory action that impacts its UK licences could have widespread consequences for the availability of popular games for consumers.
Details of the Disclosure
The FOI request asked the Commission to confirm if the Section 116 review into Evolution AB and its key subsidiaries was ongoing. The subsidiaries named were:
- Evolution Malta Holding Limited
- Evolution NetEnt (Gibraltar) Limited
- Evolution NetEnt Malta Limited
- Evolution Red Tiger Malta Limited
- Evolution Services Sweden AB
While the UKGC initially noted that the request was not for specific recorded information, it chose to provide a direct answer "to be of assistance". The response stated: "I am able to confirm that the 116 review into Evolution AB is still underway."
The Commission did not provide any further details on the nature of the review or the specific licence conditions being examined.
Industry Significance
The continuation of a Section 116 review for several months suggests a thorough and potentially complex investigation. Such reviews can result in a range of outcomes, from no further action to the imposition of fines, new licence conditions, or, in the most serious cases, suspension or revocation of a licence.
The outcome of this review will be significant for the UK online gambling market. It underscores the UKGC's focus on the entire supply chain, holding not just operators but also the software suppliers that power them to account. For now, the confirmation of an ongoing review places a question mark over one of the industry's most critical suppliers.