Evolution Gaming are the top dog when it comes to live casino content. Nobody comes close, with Evolution very much specializing in bringing interactive games to the fore that are playable in real-time and across all devices. While they have received tons of plaudits, the company is now the subject of mass controversy after being named in a Vietnam bust concerning an illegal gambling ring.
News broke recently the company, a subsidiary of Evolution AB, and responsible for creating hit titles such as Monopoly Live, was facing a regulatory complaint in New Jersey. The complaint, which relates to Evolution services being accessible to those in territories where gambling is illegal, came via a rival who had hired private investigators. There is also a suggestion that Evolution has been happy to do business in countries where US sanctions are active, which is also illegal. These countries include Iraq, Sudan, and Syria.
Following on from the above, news broke via state-owned Vietnamese broadcaster VTV where it was announced authorities had infiltrated and gone on the blow open a gambling ring. While nearly sixty people were arrested as part of the investigation, multiple platforms involved are run by Evolution, with NagaClubs one of those named by investigators.
In a further blow to Evolution Gaming, the citizens arrested as part of the sting insist they were the recipients of affiliate commissions from the live content experts after their work saw Vietnamese gamblers sign up and open accounts. The method is understood to have seen four Vietnamese citizens instruct others to purchase cryptocurrency such as Ethereum and to then use this to fund playing on private networks tied into Evolution-controlled platforms.
While there are still lots of unknowns, the authorities involved in the sting believe that the monetary value of transactions that have taken place inside the gaming network rack up to close to $4bn. But, more is expected to be learned in the coming days after laptops, mobile phones, debit cards, vehicles, and cash were all retrieved during a raid on the operation’s HQ.
The current line from Vietnamese authorities who are working on the case is that this is in no way linked to the complaint raised in New Jersey by a rival to Evolution Gaming. So, the hierarchies at Evolution Gaming and Evolution AB now have multiple controversies to deal with. In addition, there is a chance that criminal charges will be brought if they have broken any laws in any relevant jurisdiction.
Residents of Vietnam are prohibited from gambling, both online and offline. There are six land-based gaming venues in the country, but they’re only accessible to foreigners who are visiting. Severe punishments could be handed down if those involved in the illegal gambling ring are charged and subsequently convicted of their crimes. Previously, in 2018, a man who operated a sportsbook in the country illegally received a jail term of nine years.