Evolution has agreed to pay £4.75 million to close a UK Gambling Commission licence review after the regulator found its games could be accessed by British gamblers through unlicensed gambling sites. The case involved two operators and six websites, and Evolution said it responded by ending those relationships and strengthening its controls.
The review was a Section 116 examination of Evolution Malta Holding Limited’s operating licence under the Gambling Act 2005. In its December 2024 announcement, Evolution said the Commission opened the review after identifying Evolution content accessible from the UK through operators that did not hold a Commission licence, and that the process could end in anything from no action to licence conditions, a financial sanction, suspension or revocation.
Evolution said the games on the identified websites were made unavailable from the UK and that it cooperated fully with the regulator. The company also said the nearly 19-month review found no broader pattern of unlicensed access to its content in Britain, and that the settlement resolves the matter in full. The UK is a relatively small market for the group, accounting for about 3% of revenue.
Martin Carlesund, Evolution’s chief executive, said it was not acceptable for six unlicensed sites to offer the company’s content in the regulated UK market. He said Evolution does not want traffic from unlicensed operators and welcomed the conclusion of the review.
The company did not name the operators or websites involved. As of 16 July 2026, the Gambling Commission had not publicly identified them either, and its FOI response said more specific information was exempt under section 31(1)(g) of the Freedom of Information Act on law-enforcement grounds.
The December 2024 announcement rattled investors at the time, with Casino.org reporting that Evolution’s shares fell 10% and that analysts feared the review could lead to scrutiny in other jurisdictions.
