Playtech CEO Mor Weizer has drawn a firm line on the issue of licensed technology suppliers continuing to service unlicensed gambling operators around the world.
The comments came during Playtech’s H1 earnings call, where Weizer and CFO Chris McGinnis also refused to address questions relating to the group’s ongoing litigation with Evolution AB in New Jersey courts.
“We are not going to answer any questions on litigation,” Weizer stated. “I have lots to say, but I can’t, as we are under legal privilege and can’t take any questions.”
With the so-called Spectrum litigation continuing to attract attention across the industry, Playtech’s leadership pair kept their focus firmly on the H1 results, which were described as a “step change back to profitability.”
The recovery has been driven by a strong commercial pipeline across North and Latin America, with key partnerships secured alongside FanDuel, DraftKings, bet365, and leading Mexican operator Caliente.
Those relationships helped Playtech deliver a pre-tax profit of €113m (£97m) for the first half, reinforcing the group’s repositioning as a focused B2B technology supplier to global regulated gambling markets.
Weizer and McGinnis also reported no evidence of the compressed margins affecting some competitors, with Playtech’s revised operating model expanding its B2B margin from 21% to 31%, supported by cost controls and increasing revenue from previously developed products.
Leadership did warn investors that earnings and margins would normalise in the second half of the year, with particular pressure expected in the UK following the increase in Remote Gaming Duty to 40%.
Despite that caution, Weizer argued that Playtech’s return to a pure B2B structure had positioned it strongly for gambling’s regulated era, though he expressed frustration that licensed rivals continue to supply unlicensed operators.
Competitors choosing to service illegal markets can access revenues that Playtech has rejected, while avoiding the tax, certification, and compliance costs that regulated businesses are required to meet.
“We set the strategy to become a true B2B technology business that is focused on customers and pushing forward in regulated markets,” Weizer told analysts during the call.
Weizer confirmed that more than 85% of Playtech’s income now comes from regulated jurisdictions, a proportion the company expects to grow as more countries adopt formal licensing frameworks.
“We are on a journey, and the industry is on a journey,” he said. “The vast majority of Playtech’s income is in regulated [markets].”
Weizer was careful to clarify that Playtech does not classify every market without a domestic licensing regime as illegal, noting that the distinction is central to how the company assesses risk in markets moving toward regulation.
