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Tag: Evolution

  • The Story of How Cats Conquered the World Just Got Weirder

    If you’ve ever lived with a cat, you know they’re often an enigma. That said, scientists may have solved an enduring mystery about these lovable felines—with answers that could narrow down when cats first hopped onto humanity’s lap.

    A large team of researchers examined the DNA of well-preserved cats located near human sites stretching back over 10,000 years ago. The oldest specimens weren’t closely related to the cats we call pets today, they found, while the lineage that gave rise to domestic cats may have only reached Europe 2,000 years ago. The findings rebuff a prevailing theory about when cats first became domesticated, but also raise more questions about how it truly occurred.

    “The new study makes a very strong case that domestic cats didn’t arrive in Europe until the last few thousand years,” Jonathan Losos, an evolutionary biologist at Washington University in St. Louis who was not affiliated with the study, told Gizmodo.

    The confusing origin of the cat

    The domestic cat (Felis catus) is descended from the still-existing African wildcat (Felis lybica).

    Today’s cats are physically and behaviorally very similar to their ancestors, in contrast to dogs, which can act and look quite different from their wolf relatives. Some of this difference comes down to the length of time we’ve spent with these animals, respectively, since dogs were domesticated much earlier in our history, likely around 20,000 years ago. But part of it also has to do with the nature of our relationship with these animals.

    Very early on, people deliberately bred dogs to carry out various functions, whereas the earliest cats formed more of a mutually beneficial arrangement with humans, eating nearby rodents and pests while evolving slightly to better tolerate our presence and eventually become our adorable companions. Given that, it’s no surprise that many scientists consider cats semi-domesticated, or rather, that cats basically domesticated themselves.

    Since cats haven’t changed much physically compared to their wild ancestors, it’s been hard for scientists to pin down when they first became domesticated, and that’s led to competing theories over their origins.

    One theory argues that domestication began around 10,000 years ago in the Levant, a region of West Asia along the Eastern Mediterranean. A key piece of evidence for this hypothesis has been the relatively recent discovery of cat bones seemingly buried alongside a person at an archaeological site located in what’s now Cyprus. Other evidence has suggested that Neolithic farmers from Anatolia, the peninsula that covers most of modern Turkey, then migrated and first introduced domestic cats to Europe around 6,000 years ago.

    The more traditional hypothesis holds that cat domestication really only took off in ancient Egypt around 4,000 years ago, a period of time when cats were clearly venerated as the superior beings we know them to be, and spread from there.

    A genetic excavation

    To help settle this catty debate, the researchers used ancient DNA and analyzed it with relatively new genetic sequencing techniques.

    “Ancient DNA works as a time machine and can be used to track changes associated with domestication across time and help to pinpoint the origins of domestic species and their movements mediated by humans,” study authors Claudio Ottoni and Marco De Martino told Gizmodo in an email. “Furthermore, novel sequencing technologies make it possible to analyze full genome data even in ancient samples.”

    The team reconstructed the genomes of 70 ancient cats collected from samples in North Africa, Europe, and Anatolia. These cats dated between the 9th century BCE and the 19th century CE. They also analyzed the genomes of modern domestic cats and wildcats to create an updated family tree of sorts.

    Their genetic excavation revealed several things.

    For starters, today’s cats are more closely related to wildcats from North Africa than wildcats from the Levant. Secondly, the earliest samples of ancestral domestic cats found in Europe only dated back around 2,000 years ago, whereas older cat samples in Europe and Turkey were genetically European wildcats, or Felis silvestris. These populations may have bred in the past with African wildcats, but long before actual domestic cats would have been in the area.

    Though humans may have interacted with and even tried to tame wildcats several times in our history, the team’s research suggests the journey toward true cat domestication did not start in the Levant 10,000 years ago, and that it took much longer than assumed for our cats’ direct ancestors to reach Europe (and from there, the world).

    “Our findings challenge the commonly held view of a Neolithic introduction of domestic cats to Europe, instead placing their arrival several millennia later,” the authors wrote in their paper, published Thursday in Science.

    The researchers also appeared to clarify some confusion about wildcats living on the island of Sardinia (off Italy).

    They found that both ancient and modern Sardinian cats are more closely related to North African wildcats than domestic cats. That suggests that people brought over a distinct population of wildcats to the island around 2,200 years ago, separate from the larger introduction of ancestral domestic cats to Europe; that would also mean that Sardinian cats aren’t the feral descendants of domestic cats, as is widely believed currently.

    Furry mysteries left to solve

    Though the team’s findings look robust, it’s certainly possible that other researchers may decide to contest them. And they definitely haven’t figured out everything about the earliest days of the domestic cat.

    Losos notes, for instance, that while genetic evidence seems to place the European introduction of cats to around 2,000 years ago, archaeological artifacts indicate that it might be closer to 3,000 years.

    Cheddar “Chiz” Cara proofreading this article. © Ed Cara

    Another issue is that while we have plenty of preserved ancient Egyptian cat mummies, it’s historically been hard to recover viable DNA from these sorts of samples, and there aren’t many other kinds of cat remains from that region and time. As such, we’re still in the dark as to exactly when and how the first ancestral housecats made their transition to domestication.

    “The big remaining question is when domestication occurred; that is, when the domestic cat, Felis catus, evolved from its ancestor, the North African wildcat,” said Losos, who authored an accompanying commentary on the new study. “What is needed to answer that question is DNA from north African, middle eastern and Turkish felines that lived more than two thousand years ago.”

    This current study is part of an ongoing project, Project Felix, that aims to trace back the origins of the domestic cat. And the researchers are planning to dig even deeper into the distant past of our furry felines.

    “Our objective now is to analyze ancient samples from archaeological sites in Africa, including Egyptian mummies from the Pharaonic period,” Ottoni and De Martino said.

    However cats became humanity’s companions—or overseers, depending on your perspective—it’s undoubtedly a relationship that continues to be a win-win for both species (but especially people).

    Ed Cara

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  • Apes Were Kissing Millions of Years Before Humans, Study Suggests

    While kissing might feel like one of the most natural things in the world, this familiar behavior is quite mysterious—various animals also kiss, despite a lack of practical benefits and a real risk of disease transmission.

    To shed light on the smooching enigma, researchers have attempted to reconstruct the evolutionary history of kissing in the primate family tree, which includes mammals such as monkeys, apes, and humans. The team’s findings suggest that kissing is an ancient trait, evolving in the ancestors of great apes (such as humans) 21.5 to 16.9 million years ago and sticking around to this day in most surviving great ape species.

    “This is the first time anyone has taken a broad evolutionary lens to examine kissing,” Matilda Brindle, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Oxford, said in a university statement. “Our findings add to a growing body of work highlighting the remarkable diversity of sexual behaviours exhibited by our primate cousins.” Brindle is the lead author of a study published today in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior.

    What’s a kiss?

    First, the team had to scientifically define what kissing is. That’s harder than it sounds, given that many mouth-to-mouth behaviors might seem like kissing and the definition had to be consistent across different species. They ultimately decided on an incredibly romantic description: non-aggressive mouth-to-mouth contact without the transfer of food. Pucker up.

    Brindle and her colleagues then gathered previously documented information on modern primate species kissing, focusing on the monkeys and apes that evolved in Europe, Africa, and Asia, including chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans (all three of which have been recorded kissing). Treating kissing as an evolutionary “trait,” the team ran a computer model 10 million times to simulate different primate evolution scenarios and estimate the chances of different ancestors kissing.

    “By integrating evolutionary biology with behavioural data, we’re able to make informed inferences about traits that don’t fossilise – like kissing. This lets us study social behaviour in both modern and extinct species,” said Stuart West, co-author of the study and an evolutionary biologist at the University of Oxford.

    Kissing partners

    This method revealed that Neanderthals likely kissed, too. In addition to previous evidence demonstrating that humans and our now-extinct cousins transferred saliva and interbred with each other, the results strongly indicate that Homo sapiens and Neanderthals also smooched each other.

    “While kissing may seem like an ordinary or universal behaviour, it is only documented in 46% of human cultures,” explained Catherine Talbot, co-author of the study and an assistant professor at Florida Institute of Technology’s school of psychology. “The social norms and context vary widely across societies, raising the question of whether kissing is an evolved behaviour or cultural invention. This is the first step in addressing that question.”

    Naturally, there are some important limitations to point out, given the methodology used. The paper is based on previously recorded behaviors and computer simulations, and not direct observations. This is particularly precarious when it comes to extinct species, including Neanderthals. What’s more, data beyond great apes are sparse, limiting how far the findings can be stretched. The results also depend on the assumptions built into the models, which means the outcomes could vary with different parameters.

    At the very least, and as noted in the press release, the study offers a framework for future work and provides a way for primatologists to record kissing behaviors in nonhuman animals using a consistent—if not a complete buzzkill—definition.

    Margherita Bassi

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  • PHOTOS: 66 million-year-old dinosaur ‘mummy’ skin was actually a perfect clay mask

    In the badlands of eastern Wyoming, the Lance Formation is a trove of prehistoric fossils. And one area in particular — a region less than 10 kilometers (6 miles) across — has provided scientists with at least half a dozen remarkably well-preserved dinosaur specimens complete with details of scaly skin, hooves and spikes.The paleontologist Dr. Paul Sereno and his colleagues dub it “the mummy zone” in a new study that aims to explain why this particular area has given rise to so many amazing finds and define exactly what a dinosaur “mummy” is.In the early 1900s, a fossil hunter named Charles Sternberg found two specimens of a large duck-billed dinosaur, Edmontosaurus annectens, in the Lance Formation. The skeletons were so pristine that Sternberg, along with H.F. Osborn, a paleontologist at New York’s American Museum of Natural History, could make out what appeared to be large swaths of skin with discernible scales and a fleshy crest that seemed to run along the reptile’s neck.Sereno, lead study author and a professor of organismal biology and anatomy at the University of Chicago, described the initial discovery as “the greatest dinosaur mummy — until maybe the juvenile that we found” in the year 2000.Separated by nearly a century, Sereno and his team’s find shared common traits with Sternberg’s: The skeletons were preserved in three-dimensional poses and showed clear evidence of skin and other attributes that don’t usually survive 66 million years in the ground. “Osborn said in 1912 he knew that it wasn’t actual, dehydrated skin, like in Egyptian mummies,” Sereno said. “But what was it?”Whatever it was, “we actually didn’t know how it was preserved,” he said. “It was a mystery.”The new research puts that mystery to rest and can help paleontologists find, recognize and analyze future mummy finds for tiny clues into how giant dinosaurs really looked.A dinosaur death cast in claySereno and his collaborators used CT scanning, 3D imaging, electron microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy to analyze two Edmontosaurus mummies they discovered in the Lance Formation in 2000 and 2001 — a juvenile and a young adult. “We looked and we looked and we looked, we sampled and we tested, and we didn’t find any” remnants of soft tissue, Sereno said.What the team found instead was a thin layer of clay, less than one-hundredth of an inch thick, which had formed on top of the animals’ skin. “It’s so real-looking, it’s unbelievable,” he said.Whereas Sternberg and Osborn referred to the “impression” of skin in their specimens, Sereno’s paper proposes an alternate term — “rendering” — which he argues is more precise.The study lays out the conditions that would produce such a rendering. In the Late Cretaceous Period, when Edmontosaurus roamed what is now the American West, the climate cycled between drought and monsoon rains. Drought has been determined to have been the cause of death of the original mummy found by Sternberg and described by Osborn, and of other animals whose fossils were found nearby. Assuming the same is true of the new specimens, the carcasses would have dried in the sun in a week or two.Then, a flash flood buried the bodies in sediment. The decaying carcasses would have been covered by a film of bacteria, which can electrostatically attract clay found in the surrounding sediment. The wafer-thin coating of clay remained long after the underlying tissues decayed completely, retaining their detailed morphology and forming a perfect clay mask.“Clay minerals have a way of attracting to and sticking onto biological surfaces, ensuring a molding that can faithfully reproduce the outermost surfaces of a body, such as skin and other soft tissues,” said Dr. Anthony Martin, professor of practice in the department of environmental sciences at Emory University in Atlanta, who was not involved in the research. “So it makes sense that these clays would have formed such fine portraits of dinosaurs’ scales, spikes and hooves.”Dr. Stephanie Drumheller-Horton, a vertebrate paleontologist at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, who also was not involved in the study, is an expert in taphonomy, which she described as “the study of everything that happens to an organism from when it dies until when we find it.” She is particularly interested in how these fossils formed.“Dinosaur mummies have been known for over one hundred years, but there has definitely been more emphasis on describing their skin and less on understanding how they fossilized in the first place,” she said via email. “If we can understand how and why these fossils form, we can better target where to look to potentially find more of them.”A detailed portrait of a duck-billed dinosaurTogether, the two more recently unearthed mummies allowed Sereno and his team to create a detailed update of what Edmontosaurus probably looked like.According to their analyses, the dinosaur, which could grow to over 12 meters (40 feet) long, had a fleshy crest along the neck and back and a row of spikes running down the tail. The creature’s skin was thin enough to produce delicate wrinkles over the rib cage and was dotted with small, pebble-like scales.The clay mask revealed that the animal had hooves, a trait previously preserved only in mammals. That makes it the oldest land animal proven to have hooves and the first known example of a hoofed reptile, Sereno said. “Sorry, mammals, you didn’t invent it,” he joked. “Did we suspect it? Yeah, we suspected it had a hoof from the footprints, but seeing it is believing.”

    In the badlands of eastern Wyoming, the Lance Formation is a trove of prehistoric fossils. And one area in particular — a region less than 10 kilometers (6 miles) across — has provided scientists with at least half a dozen remarkably well-preserved dinosaur specimens complete with details of scaly skin, hooves and spikes.

    The paleontologist Dr. Paul Sereno and his colleagues dub it “the mummy zone” in a new study that aims to explain why this particular area has given rise to so many amazing finds and define exactly what a dinosaur “mummy” is.

    In the early 1900s, a fossil hunter named Charles Sternberg found two specimens of a large duck-billed dinosaur, Edmontosaurus annectens, in the Lance Formation. The skeletons were so pristine that Sternberg, along with H.F. Osborn, a paleontologist at New York’s American Museum of Natural History, could make out what appeared to be large swaths of skin with discernible scales and a fleshy crest that seemed to run along the reptile’s neck.

    Sereno, lead study author and a professor of organismal biology and anatomy at the University of Chicago, described the initial discovery as “the greatest dinosaur mummy — until maybe the juvenile that we found” in the year 2000.

    Separated by nearly a century, Sereno and his team’s find shared common traits with Sternberg’s: The skeletons were preserved in three-dimensional poses and showed clear evidence of skin and other attributes that don’t usually survive 66 million years in the ground. “Osborn said in 1912 he knew that it wasn’t actual, dehydrated skin, like in Egyptian mummies,” Sereno said. “But what was it?”

    Whatever it was, “we actually didn’t know how it was preserved,” he said. “It was a mystery.”

    The new research puts that mystery to rest and can help paleontologists find, recognize and analyze future mummy finds for tiny clues into how giant dinosaurs really looked.

    A dinosaur death cast in clay

    Sereno and his collaborators used CT scanning, 3D imaging, electron microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy to analyze two Edmontosaurus mummies they discovered in the Lance Formation in 2000 and 2001 — a juvenile and a young adult. “We looked and we looked and we looked, we sampled and we tested, and we didn’t find any” remnants of soft tissue, Sereno said.

    What the team found instead was a thin layer of clay, less than one-hundredth of an inch thick, which had formed on top of the animals’ skin. “It’s so real-looking, it’s unbelievable,” he said.

    Whereas Sternberg and Osborn referred to the “impression” of skin in their specimens, Sereno’s paper proposes an alternate term — “rendering” — which he argues is more precise.

    The study lays out the conditions that would produce such a rendering. In the Late Cretaceous Period, when Edmontosaurus roamed what is now the American West, the climate cycled between drought and monsoon rains. Drought has been determined to have been the cause of death of the original mummy found by Sternberg and described by Osborn, and of other animals whose fossils were found nearby. Assuming the same is true of the new specimens, the carcasses would have dried in the sun in a week or two.

    Then, a flash flood buried the bodies in sediment. The decaying carcasses would have been covered by a film of bacteria, which can electrostatically attract clay found in the surrounding sediment. The wafer-thin coating of clay remained long after the underlying tissues decayed completely, retaining their detailed morphology and forming a perfect clay mask.

    “Clay minerals have a way of attracting to and sticking onto biological surfaces, ensuring a molding that can faithfully reproduce the outermost surfaces of a body, such as skin and other soft tissues,” said Dr. Anthony Martin, professor of practice in the department of environmental sciences at Emory University in Atlanta, who was not involved in the research. “So it makes sense that these clays would have formed such fine portraits of dinosaurs’ scales, spikes and hooves.”

    Dr. Stephanie Drumheller-Horton, a vertebrate paleontologist at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, who also was not involved in the study, is an expert in taphonomy, which she described as “the study of everything that happens to an organism from when it dies until when we find it.” She is particularly interested in how these fossils formed.

    “Dinosaur mummies have been known for over one hundred years, but there has definitely been more emphasis on describing their skin and less on understanding how they fossilized in the first place,” she said via email. “If we can understand how and why these fossils form, we can better target where to look to potentially find more of them.”

    A detailed portrait of a duck-billed dinosaur

    Together, the two more recently unearthed mummies allowed Sereno and his team to create a detailed update of what Edmontosaurus probably looked like.

    According to their analyses, the dinosaur, which could grow to over 12 meters (40 feet) long, had a fleshy crest along the neck and back and a row of spikes running down the tail. The creature’s skin was thin enough to produce delicate wrinkles over the rib cage and was dotted with small, pebble-like scales.

    mummified dinosaur

    The clay mask revealed that the animal had hooves, a trait previously preserved only in mammals. That makes it the oldest land animal proven to have hooves and the first known example of a hoofed reptile, Sereno said. “Sorry, mammals, you didn’t invent it,” he joked. “Did we suspect it? Yeah, we suspected it had a hoof from the footprints, but seeing it is believing.”

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  • Playtech Exposed as the Mystery Client Behind the Damaging Evolution Report

    After almost four years of speculation, a New Jersey court filing has revealed that Playtech was the company behind the damaging 2021 report that sought to discredit live casino giant Evolution. The disclosure marks the culmination of a protracted legal struggle during which Evolution tried to expose the mysterious client of private intelligence firm Black Cube. This organization produced and distributed the contentious report.

    Evolution Proved the Initial Report Was False

    According to Evolution, senior Playtech executives, including CEO Mor Weizer, communicated directly with Black Cube during the preparation of the report. The document alleged that Evolution’s products were being used in blacklisted jurisdictions. These assertions briefly wiped billions from Evolution’s market value and triggered regulatory scrutiny in multiple markets.

    US state regulators and the New Jersey Superior Court later confirmed that the report lacked any factual basis. Meanwhile, Evolution claimed the accusations were intentionally fabricated, stating that the firm behind the report had purposefully manipulated interview material to fit a false narrative.

    According to court records, Black Cube agents used deceptive methods during their investigation, pretending to be prospective business partners or investors to contact current and former Evolution staff members. Some of these meetings were covertly recorded, edited, and presented as proof in the report. Interviewed individuals later complained that their comments had been either misrepresented or completely distorted.

    Playtech Could Suffer Significant Consequences

    On Tuesday, Evolution released a statement that strongly condemned Playtech’s involvement, calling it a deliberate attempt to gain a competitive advantage by damaging the competition’s reputation and business standing. According to Evolution, Playtech paid Black Cube more than £1.8 million ($2.41 million) for the operation.

    Playtech’s exposure could carry significant legal and financial consequences. Evolution has already declared its intention to seek substantial damages for defamation, trade libel, and interference with business relations. Immediately after the revelation, Playtech shares plummeted 39%, erasing £400 million ($536 million) of market value. This development is strikingly similar to the effects suffered by Evolution after Black Cube’s report.

    We are confident in our legal position and look forward to finally holding Playtech and its accomplices to account for the significant harm they have caused.

    Evolution statement

    Evolution announced it was ready to pursue every available avenue to hold Playtech, Black Cube, and their affiliates accountable. With all parties involved in the report revealed, the lawsuit can proceed in earnest, with Playtech as an additional defendant. The immediate questions revolve around whether shareholders were informed of the risks associated with this type of campaign.

    Deyan Dimitrov

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  • Evolution–Light & Wonder Dispute Splits Between Court and Arbitration

    The high-profile legal battle between Evolution and Light & Wonder has reached a potential turning point after a Nevada federal court ruled that certain aspects of the dispute must be arbitrated while allowing other claims to proceed. With neither party willing to back down, this legal showdown shows no signs of subsiding.

    Evolution Recently Reignited the Dispute

    On September 30, US District Judge Cristina Silva granted Light & Wonder’s motion to compel arbitration of Evolution’s trade secret claims. The court held that the claims were subject to an arbitration provision contained in a 2021 licensing agreement between the gaming giants. The Judge further ruled that Evolution’s patent infringement claims would remain in court.

    The dispute centers on a licensing deal that granted Light & Wonder exclusive rights to develop a physical version of Evolution’s hit title Lightning Roulette for land-based casinos. Evolution claims that Light & Wonder has gone beyond the scope of the agreement, using confidential information and proprietary technology to develop competing products.

    Evolution’s revised complaint includes allegations tied to the so-called “Haushalter patents,” covering live-streamed gaming systems with randomized multipliers, and the “Merati patents,” acquired through Evolution’s 2024 acquisition of hybrid gaming developer Uplay1. Along with its patent claims, Evolution accuses Light & Wonder of trade secret misappropriation in violation of federal laws and Nevada state law.

    A Final Resolution Remains a Long Way Away

    According to a recent Next.io report, Judge Silva found that the trade secrets claims fell squarely within the arbitration clause of the 2021 Agreement between the two companies. The provision states that disputes unresolved by negotiation must be settled under the Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce by three arbitrators, with London specified as the seat of arbitration.

    Evolution argued that the contract carved out disputes relating to licensed property, which it contended should include trade secrets. The court disagreed, noting that the carve-out provided that only intellectual property matters should be governed by the laws of the territory where the IP infringement allegedly took place, and not that such disputes were exempt from arbitration.

    The outcome creates a split process: arbitration will handle the trade secrets allegations, while the Nevada court proceeds with its review of Evolution’s patent infringement claims. A status conference set for October 30 will determine how the arbitration order affects the court proceedings. However, while significant, this development does not change the fact that a final resolution remains nowhere in sight.

    Deyan Dimitrov

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  • Evolution Reveals New Development Studio Sneaky Slots

    Evolution announced the launch of Sneaky Slots, an exciting new addition to its portfolio of top-tier online slot studios, which already features renowned names like Nolimit City, Red Tiger, NetEnt, and Big Time Gaming.

    Evolution Unveils Sneaky Slots

    The studio debuts with Nip Tuck, a surreal slot experience that explores the obsession with perfection. Following its launch, the studio plans to release a new title every month for the remainder of the year. Malcolm Mizzi, Head of Commercial Operations of RNG at Evolution, described the launch of Sneaky Slots as a natural next step for the company

    He emphasized that, with the support of Evolution’s One Stop Shop and global sales network, Sneaky Slots is launching with a level of momentum that few new studios enjoy. Mizzi expressed confidence that the new brand will attract both players and industry insiders, positioning itself as a standout newcomer to watch.

    Mizzi further noted that Sneaky Slots represents a bold and rebellious approach to game design. The studio’s titles, he explained, are daring, eccentric, and rich in personality. Instead of chasing complexity or extremes, the focus is on creating immersive, unforgettable atmospheres that players genuinely enjoy. With Sneaky Slots, the team aims to open the door to something edgier by inviting players to explore the unexpected.

    It’s interesting to note that the announcement of this large expansion comes amid an intensification of legal trouble that Evolution has been embroiled in with law firm Calcagni & Kanefsky. 

    What Does Sneaky Slots Promise to Bring to the Table?

    According to its own words, Sneaky Slots is already stirring excitement within the iGaming industry. While little is known about the team behind the brand, many in the industry see it as a spiritual sibling to Nolimit City, with which it shares a strong creative and technical connection.

    In its debut announcement, Nolimit City confirmed that Sneaky Slots has been granted access to its trademarked xMechanics, which is a suite of proprietary game features that helped establish Nolimit’s cult status among players and streamers. These include popular mechanics like xNudge, xWays, and xBomb, which have powered some of Nolimit’s most iconic titles, such as San Quentin 2, Fire In The Hole 3, and Brute Force Alien Onslaught.

    Sneaky Slots’ initial roadmap points to a bold and unconventional creative vision. Its launch lineup features three provocatively titled games, such as Freak Show Revelation, Nip Tuck, and Gopnik, hinting at edgy themes and unpredictable gameplay designed to stand out in a crowded market.

    Stefan Velikov

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  • Evolution and Pragmatic Play Pull Content from Stake.us amid California Lawsuit

    Two prominent content providers in the iGaming industry, Pragmatic Play and Evolution, have removed their offerings from the sweepstakes platform Stake.us for customers in California. This move further underlines the intensifying pressure on sweepstakes casinos operating in the United States as more jurisdictions take measures to curtail this form of wagering.

    Suppliers Likely Seek to Minimize Potential Harm

    This decision closely follows a civil enforcement action initiated by the City of Los Angeles against Stake.us and several of its partners. The complaint alleges that the company, which presents itself as “America’s Social Casino,” is engaging in unlicensed gambling in violation of California law despite its insistence that its products align with existing legal frameworks.

    The lawsuit also names several of Stake.us’ suppliers, including Evolution and its affiliated studios, including NetEnt, Red Tiger, Nolimit City, and Big Time Gaming. According to a recent Next.io report, titles developed by these studios are no longer available on the platform. Hacksaw Gaming, another supplier involved in the proceedings, appears to have also pulled its titles.

    The decision by suppliers to cut their ties with Stake likely stems from pragmatic reasons. Such companies heavily depend on maintaining positive relationships with state regulators, and their ties with sweepstakes platforms represent a reputational danger. A disgruntled regulator could easily scrutinize their right to operate within licensed jurisdictions, significantly hindering their operations in the gambling space.

    Sweepstakes Are Becoming Increasingly Contentious

    Stake.us is the American sweepstakes branch of Stake.com, a globally recognized crypto gambling website known for its sports and entertainment sponsorships. Proponents argue that, unlike online casinos, Stake’s format, where users receive virtual coins and redeem rewards using sweepstakes mechanics, makes the company exempt from traditional gambling laws. Nevertheless, regulatory bodies are increasingly viewing these services as little more than casino gaming under a different label.

    Los Angeles officials assert that Stake.us has deceived Californians by portraying itself as a benign social product while subjecting players to the dangers of unregulated gambling. Stake.us has pushed back against the accusations, vowing to defend itself against all claims. However, the loss of its suppliers could constitute a significant blow to its operations.

    These developments align with California’s Assembly Bill 831, which attempts to ban sweepstakes casinos entirely and is now on its way to the Senate floor. However, the bill faces significant opposition. Several tribal groups have united against the bill, arguing it could hurt legitimate promotional gaming. The Social and Promotional Games Association has echoed those concerns, arguing that AB 831 would devastate California’s digital economy.

    Deyan Dimitrov

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  • These Newly Discovered Cells Breathe in Two Ways

    The team members went through a process of incrementally determining what elements and molecules the bacterial strain could grow on. They already knew it could use oxygen, so they tested other combinations in the lab. When oxygen was absent, RSW1 could process hydrogen gas and elemental sulfur—chemicals it would find spewing from a volcanic vent—and create hydrogen sulfide as a product. Yet while the cells were technically alive in this state, they didn’t grow or replicate. They were making a small amount of energy—just enough to stay alive, nothing more. “The cell was just sitting there spinning its wheels without getting any real metabolic or biomass gain out of it,” Boyd said.

    Then the team added oxygen back into the mix. As expected, the bacteria grew faster. But, to the researchers’ surprise, RSW1 also still produced hydrogen sulfide gas, as if it were anaerobically respiring. In fact, the bacteria seemed to be breathing both aerobically and anaerobically at once, and benefiting from the energy of both processes. This double respiration went further than the earlier reports: The cell wasn’t just producing sulfide in the presence of oxygen but was also performing both conflicting processes at the same time. Bacteria simply shouldn’t be able to do that.

    “That set us down this path of ‘OK, what the heck’s really going on here?’” Boyd said.

    Breathing Two Ways

    RSW1 appears to have a hybrid metabolism, running an anaerobic sulfur-based mode at the same time it runs an aerobic one using oxygen.

    “For an organism to be able to bridge both those metabolisms is very unique,” said Ranjani Murali, an environmental microbiologist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who was not involved in the research. Normally when anaerobic organisms are exposed to oxygen, damaging molecules known as reactive oxygen compounds create stress, she said. “For that not to happen is really interesting.”

    In the thermal spring Roadside West (left) in Yellowstone National Park, researchers isolated an unusual microbe from the gray-colored biofilm (right).

    Photograph: Eric Boyd; Quanta Magazine

    In the thermal spring Roadside West in Yellowstone National Park researchers isolated an unusual microbe from the...

    In the thermal spring Roadside West (left) in Yellowstone National Park, researchers isolated an unusual microbe from the gray-colored biofilm (right).Photograph: Eric Boyd; Quanta Magazine

    Boyd’s team observed that the bacteria grew best when running both metabolisms simultaneously. It may be an advantage in its unique environment: Oxygen isn’t evenly distributed in hot springs like those where RSW1 lives. In constantly changing conditions, where you could be bathed in oxygen one moment only for it to disappear, hedging one’s metabolic bets might be a highly adaptive trait.

    Other microbes have been observed breathing two ways at once: anaerobically with nitrate and aerobically with oxygen. But those processes use entirely different chemical pathways, and when paired together, they tend to present an energetic cost to the microbes. In contrast, RSW1’s hybrid sulfur/oxygen metabolism bolsters the cells instead of dragging them down.

    This kind of dual respiration may have evaded detection until now because it was considered impossible. “You have really no reason to look” for something like this, Boyd said. Additionally, oxygen and sulfide react with each other quickly; unless you were watching for sulfide as a byproduct, you might miss it entirely, he added.

    It’s possible, in fact, that microbes with dual metabolisms are widespread, Murali said. She pointed to the many habitats and organisms that exist at tenuous gradients between oxygen-rich and oxygen-free areas. One example is in submerged sediments, which can harbor cable bacteria. These elongated microbes orient themselves in such a way that one end of their bodies can use aerobic respiration in oxygenated water while the other end is buried deep in anoxic sediment and uses anaerobic respiration. Cable bacteria thrive in their precarious partition by physically separating their aerobic and anaerobic processes. But RSW1 appears to multitask while tumbling around in the roiling spring.

    It’s still unknown how RSW1 bacteria manage to protect their anaerobic machinery from oxygen. Murali speculated that the cells might create chemical supercomplexes within themselves that can surround, isolate and “scavenge” oxygen, she said—using it up quickly once they encounter it so there is no chance for the gas to interfere with the sulfur-based breathing.

    RSW1 and any other microbes that have dual metabolism make intriguing models for how microbial life may have evolved during the Great Oxygenation Event, Boyd said. “That must have been a quite chaotic time for microbes on the planet,” he said. As a slow drip of oxygen filtered into the atmosphere and sea, any life-form that could handle an occasional brush with the new, poisonous gas—or even use it to its energetic benefit—may have been at an advantage. In that time of transition, two metabolisms may have been better than one.

    Original story reprinted with permission from Quanta Magazine, an editorially independent publication of the Simons Foundation whose mission is to enhance public understanding of science by covering research developments and trends in mathematics and the physical and life sciences.

    Jake Buehler

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  • Alice Soper: Rugby’s next evolution is happening with Black Ferns’ revelation

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  • Unbelievable facts

    Unbelievable facts

    Human evolution tackles similar challenges in distinct ways. Early native peoples adapted to high…

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  • Edthena Introduces VC3, the Next Evolution of Video Coaching for Educators

    Edthena Introduces VC3, the Next Evolution of Video Coaching for Educators

    SAN FRANCISCO – Edthena is transforming the video coaching process for educators with the launch of VC3, the next evolution of the company’s award-winning video coaching platform. VC3 features new coaching tools that empower teachers and instructional coaches to collaborate more efficiently, gain deeper insights into instructional practice, and engage in more meaningful professional learning.

    “Educators have one of the hardest jobs in the world and they deserve access to the most innovative solutions possible to support their work,” said Adam Geller, founder and CEO of Edthena. “With VC3, educators can more effectively reflect on their practice and access the high-quality coaching needed to ensure their success—and, ultimately, the success of their students—in the classroom.”

    The reimagined video coaching platform draws upon Edthena’s 14 years of experience helping educators add more than two million comments to nearly seven million minutes of classroom video.

    The core of the coaching experience happens within the video conversation page. This is where educators add timestamped feedback to videos of classroom teaching. Not only does the updated conversation page in VC3 make it easier to leave comments, but it also encourages teachers and coaches to deepen their reflections. One example of this emphasis is the Insights tab which helps jumpstart the video analysis process for both coaches and teachers.

    The Insights tab includes several tools: open-ended questions that help inspire the observer for what to look for in the video; a student-to-teacher talk time graph to support a deep-dive into student engagement, language development, and confidence; and, a visual representation of the most frequently used words within the lesson to get a sense for the presence of academic language.

    “With the help of Edthena, we are harnessing the power of video and innovative AI tools to level up our coaching practices,” said Amanda Maceo, professional development implementation strategist for Alief Independent School District. “We love the automatic summaries and closed captioning—they provide us with valuable insights. Plus, the talk time graph makes it easy to set clear and measurable goals for improvement.”

    The VC3 experience is available to all new and existing users. This includes schools, districts, and teacher education programs from more than 20 states and multiple countries that use Edthena to make video observation an integral part of teacher induction, teacher mentoring, professional learning communities (PLCs), and peer observation.

    “Video reflection and facilitative coaching play a pivotal role in the professional development process for teacher residents,” said Halley Maza, an instructor in the University at Buffalo Teacher Residency program. “By leveraging Edthena’s VC3 platform, our program empowers teacher residents to analyze and refine their instructional strategies, fostering self-efficacy through critical reflection and collaborative learning. This approach aligns with our goal of improving student outcomes and preparing educators to meet the diverse needs of their students.”

    To learn more about VC3, visit https://www.edthena.com/vc3.

    About Edthena

    Edthena provides innovative technologies to support educator professional learning by streamlining feedback to teachers. The companyoffers the AI Coach platform, an artificial intelligence-driven solution to guide teachers through coaching cycles; VC3, the classroom observation and collaboration platform for video coaching; and Edthena Organization Libraries, a platform for schools and districts to curate and share best-practice teaching videos. Edthena is the recipient of numerous awards from organizations such as SIIA, District Administration, and Tech & Learning. For more information, visit www.edthena.com. For more news about Edthena, visit www.edthena.com/blog/.

    eSchool News Staff
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    ESchool News Staff

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  • Unbelievable facts

    Unbelievable facts

    Due to their close relationship with humans, dogs have evolved the ability to digest starch-rich…

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  • Evolution Gaming Expands Live Casino Portfolio with Arcadia Gaming Solutions Acquisition

    Evolution Gaming Expands Live Casino Portfolio with Arcadia Gaming Solutions Acquisition

    Evolution Gaming announced the strategic acquisition of Arcadia Gaming Solutions, a deal expected to enhance its position as a live casino gaming leader. Arcadia, known for its proprietary technology allowing players to engage with real-time physical arcade machines remotely, will join Evolution’s growing portfolio of innovative gaming solutions.

    Arcadia Pioneered a Novel and Engaging Product

    The acquisition involves an upfront cash payment of EUR 2.5 million ($2.77 million), with an additional earn-out, payable based on the performance of Arcadia’s games in 2027. Completion is expected during the second half of 2024, pending certain regulatory approvals and closing conditions, as is usual for these types of deals.

    Arcadia Gaming Solutions has carved a unique niche in the online gaming market. Its offerings close the gap between physical arcade games and the online casino experience. Fortune Pusher, the company’s first title, allows players to remotely control a coin-pushing machine, delivering an engaging and interactive arcade experience via high-definition video streaming.

    Arcadia’s innovative proprietary technology enables players to engage real-time with a physical arcade machine, offering a unique and engaging online experience.

    Evolution Gaming statement

    Arcadia’s innovative approach to B2B video-streaming live game technology perfectly fits Evolution’s focus on expanding its offerings in live gaming experiences. By integrating physical arcade elements into the online casino environment, Evolution can attract a broader range of players, especially those seeking unique gaming experiences.

    Evolution Remains at the Forefront of Gaming Innovation

    This newest milestone deal closely follows Evolution’s recent $85 million acquisition of Galaxy Gaming, a leading developer of casino games and technology. This move underlines Evolution’s ambitious growth strategy-particularly within the competitive US market, where it aims to dominate through cutting-edge technology and exclusive game offerings.

    Evolution’s global presence means Arcadia Gaming’s expertise can apply to many diverse markets, although North America remains the company’s primary focus. The company’s 2023 collaboration with BetMGM and Borgata showcased its innovative mindset as it united casino goers and iGaming enthusiasts with a unique offering that leveraged its cutting-edge technology.

    By acquiring Arcadia, Evolution will develop its technological capabilities and cultivate the opportunity to pioneer innovative live gaming formats that merge physical and digital experiences. The deal aligns with the company’s strategy of driving innovation in the online casino industry and offering its global customers the highest quality gaming content.

    Deyan Dimitrov

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  • The Physics of Cold Water May Have Jump-Started Complex Life

    The Physics of Cold Water May Have Jump-Started Complex Life

    After 30 days, the algae in the middle were still unicellular. As the scientists put algae from thicker and thicker rings under the microscope, however, they found larger clumps of cells. The very largest were wads of hundreds. But what interested Simpson the most were mobile clusters of four to 16 cells, arranged so that their flagella were all on the outside. These clusters moved around by coordinating the movement of their flagella, the ones at the back of the cluster holding still, the ones at the front wriggling.

    Comparing the speed of these clusters to the single cells in the middle revealed something interesting. “They all swim at the same speed,” Simpson said. By working together as a collective, the algae could preserve their mobility. “I was really pleased,” he said. “With the coarse mathematical framework, there were a few predictions I could make. To actually see it empirically means there’s something to this idea.”

    Intriguingly, when the scientists took these little clusters from the high-viscosity gel and put them back at low viscosity, the cells stuck together. They remained this way, in fact, for as long as the scientists continued to watch them, about 100 more generations. Clearly, whatever changes they underwent to survive at high viscosity were hard to reverse, Simpson said—perhaps a move toward evolution rather than a short-term shift.

    ILLUSTRATION
    Caption: In gel as viscous as ancient oceans, algal cells began working together. They clumped up and coordinated the movements of their tail-like flagella to swim more quickly. When placed back in normal viscosity, they remained together.
    Credit: Andrea Halling

    Modern-day algae are not early animals. But the fact that these physical pressures forced a unicellular creature into an alternate way of life that was hard to reverse feels quite powerful, Simpson said. He suspects that if scientists explore the idea that when organisms are very small, viscosity dominates their existence, we could learn something about conditions that might have led to the explosion of large forms of life.

    A Cell’s Perspective

    As large creatures, we don’t think much about the thickness of the fluids around us. It’s not a part of our daily lived experience, and we are so big that viscosity doesn’t impinge on us very much. The ability to move easily—relatively speaking—is something we take for granted. From the time Simpson first realized that such limits on movement could be a monumental obstacle to microscopic life, he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about it. Viscosity may have mattered quite a lot in the origins of complex life, whenever that was.

    “[This perspective] allows us to think about the deep-time history of this transition,” Simpson said, “and what was going on in Earth’s history when all the obligately complicated multicellular groups evolved, which is relatively close to each other, we think.”

    Other researchers find Simpson’s ideas quite novel. Before Simpson, no one seems to have thought very much about organisms’ physical experience of being in the ocean during Snowball Earth, said Nick Butterfield of the University of Cambridge, who studies the evolution of early life. He cheerfully noted, however, that “Carl’s idea is fringe.” That’s because the vast majority of theories about Snowball Earth’s influence on the evolution of multicellular animals, plants, and algae focus on how levels of oxygen, inferred from isotope levels in rocks, could have tipped the scales in one way or another, he said.

    Veronique Greenwood

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  • Legal Battle between Evolution and L&W Reaches New Junction

    Legal Battle between Evolution and L&W Reaches New Junction

    The ongoing legal battle between gaming giants Evolution and Light & Wonder (L&W) has reached a new phase as the two companies continue their legal maneuvers. Evolution’s motion to seal portions met resistance as the judge asked the company to file a memorandum, demonstrating the need for such a measure.

    The Companies Argue over Intellectual Property

    In its legal complaint, Evolution alleges that L&W used confidential information related to its popular game, Lightning Roulette, to create “copycat” products. Evolution contends that L&W accessed proprietary mathematical files during negotiations in 2021 when Evolution sought to develop a land-based version of Lightning Roulette with the assistance of Scientific Games, now renamed LNW Gaming.

    According to Evolution, it shared confidential data with L&W during these negotiations, including unique mathematical files integral to the Lightning Roulette game. Attorneys for Evolution noted that the information was proprietary and unique to the game. They alleged that mere observation was insufficient to collect such data, arguing this fact supported their claims of foul play.

    Evolution alleges that instead of collaborating on developing a joint project for a land-based game, L&W used the confidential information to create its copycat version, named Roulette X, and later released another similar product called PowerX. These actions were allegedly performed with the full knowledge that they would harm Evolution.

    Evolution Asked for Increased Confidentiality

    According to a recent report by NEXT.io, Evolution initially filed a motion to seal portions of its complaint, citing the need to protect confidentiality provisions between the two companies. Evolution argued that publicly disclosing certain information could lead to L&W claiming that Evolution violated these provisions. Such a development could further complicate the case and obstruct the lawsuit’s primary goal.

    However, Judge Elayna Youchah ruled against the motion, emphasizing the strong presumption in favor of accessing public records. Judge Youchah stated that sealing parts of a filing required a compelling reason. She concluded that Evolution’s general claims about unspecified confidentiality agreements did not meet this standard and, therefore, could not support its request.

    “Plaintiffs must provide some factual basis as to the nature of the information they seek to seal that supports an adequate legal reason for their request.”

    Judge Elayna Youchah

    Judge Youchah has ordered Evolution to file a memorandum by 10 June, demonstrating a compelling reason for the sealing request. Meanwhile, the complaint remains temporarily sealed pending further order from the court. As the legal proceedings continue, industry observers will closely monitor the companies for further developments that could impact their operations and market positions.

    Deyan Dimitrov

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  • Evolution Files Lawsuit against Light & Wonder over Alleged Infringement

    Evolution Files Lawsuit against Light & Wonder over Alleged Infringement

    Intellectual property (IP) infringement lawsuits are not uncommon in the global gambling industry. With fierce competition, some companies engage in unlawful action to gain an advantage, but this often results in prolonged lawsuits.

    In one recent case, one leading gaming company filed a lawsuit against another giant, claiming IP infringement. The legal case involved Light & Wonder (L&W), which was accused by Evolution of trade secrets misappropriation.

    The legal claim was filed with the US District Courts, Nevada District Court by Evolution on Tuesday last week. In its legal complaint, Evolution alleged that L&W used confidential information related to its Lightning Roulette. The leading gaming company claimed that L&W was able to access Lightning Roulette math files to create “copycat” products.

    Evolution’s Lightning Roulette is renowned for its success across the globe. The company recognizes this as one of its most popular and successful live casino products which has been reaching new players across the globe ever since its release in 2018.

    Evolution Malta Limited, Evolution Gaming Malta Limited, Evolution Gaming Limited and SIA Evolution Latvia are named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, while L&W and LNW Gaming, Inc. are listed as defendants.

    Developing Copycat Products

    Evolution’s lawsuit against L&W stemmed from negotiations dating back to 2021. At the time, the former sought to develop a land-based version of its popular game with the help of Scientific Games, which was later renamed to LNW Gaming.

    According to Evolution, at the time, the company shared confidential data, which included mathematical files. Attorneys for Evolution, quoted by NEXT.io, explained: “This information is proprietary, unique to the Lightning Roulette game, and cannot be readily ascertained through proper means, including by observing the Lightning Roulette features or by playing the game.”

    But instead of developing the land-based game, L&W sought to create its own version, the lawsuit claimed. The “copycat” of Evolution’s Lightning Roulette is Roulette X, according to the lawsuit. Subsequently, L&W also released PowerX, which per Evolution was another copy of its popular game.

    The recently filed lawsuit explained: “LNW Gaming induced Evolution into providing L&W with Evolution’s trade secrets for Lightning Roulette … under the auspices of entering into a partnership for developing physical Lightning Roulette game tables, but turned around and used those trade secrets to develop its own copycat products knowing that its acts would harm Evolution.”

    In the legal claim, Evolution seeks compensation for damages and losses related to L&W’s alleged actions. Moreover, the company seeks an injunction that would prevent any further similar damage or infringement.

    Jerome García

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  • WTF Fun Fact 13711 – Whales Evolved from Wolves

    WTF Fun Fact 13711 – Whales Evolved from Wolves

    When we received a fun fact submission suggesting that whales evolved from wolves, we were pretty skeptical. After all, we’ve taken evolutionary biology at the collegiate level—we’re smart people—and that just sounds silly.

    Well, so much for that confidence! Researchers believe they really have found proof of this mind-boggling evolutionary relationship.

    But whales’ journey from land to sea is one of evolution’s most astonishing tales. This transition didn’t happen overnight. It involved millions of years, with ancient wolf-like creatures at its inception. Today’s whales, creatures of the ocean’s vast expanses, share a lineage with terrestrial mammals. Their story of evolution is a testament to nature’s adaptability and the intricate pathways of evolutionary change.

    From Land to Sea

    The story starts around 50 million years ago. Imagine a time when the ancestors of whales roamed the earth on four legs. These ancient mammals, resembling wolves, embarked on a journey that would lead them to become the ocean’s giants. The first step in this transformation was a shift in habitat. Early ancestors, known as Pakicetus, lived near water bodies. They gradually ventured into the water for food, driven by survival needs and the abundance of aquatic prey.

    As these mammals spent more time in water, natural selection favored traits beneficial for aquatic life. Over millions of years, their body shape began to change. Limbs transformed into flippers, tails became powerful propellers, and their snouts extended to better catch fish. This gradual morphing wasn’t just physical. Changes occurred internally, too, such as the development of a mechanism to drink seawater, filtering out the salt, and adjustments in reproductive behavior to give birth in water.

    How Whales Evolved from Wolves

    The transformation from land-dwelling to fully aquatic life forms was marked by significant evolutionary milestones. The development of echolocation allowed whales to navigate and hunt in the deep, dark waters of the oceans. Their lungs adapted to allow them to dive deep and stay underwater for extended periods. These adaptations were crucial for survival and exploiting new ecological niches.

    One of the most pivotal moments in whale evolution was the emergence of two distinct groups: baleen and toothed whales. Baleen whales, like the blue whale, evolved a unique feeding mechanism using baleen plates to filter small fish and krill from the water. Toothed whales, including orcas and dolphins, pursued a different evolutionary path, focusing on hunting larger prey.

    The Legacy of Land-Dwelling Ancestors

    Despite their fully aquatic lifestyle, whales retain remnants of their land-dwelling past. Vestigial structures, such as hip bones, hint at their four-legged ancestors. Even their breathing reminds us of their terrestrial origins, as they must come to the surface to breathe air.

    The journey from wolf-like creatures to the majestic whales of today is a profound example of evolutionary adaptation. It underscores the dynamic nature of life on Earth and the constant drive for survival that shapes all living beings. Whales’ evolution from land to sea is not just a story of change but a narrative of resilience, innovation, and the enduring bond between all creatures of our planet.

    — WTF fun facts

    Source: “Fossil find shows how a wolf turned into a whale” — The Independent

    WTF

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  • The Timberwolves Mess, Plus the Evolution of 21st Century Sports Docs With ‘The Last Dance’ Director Jason Hehir

    The Timberwolves Mess, Plus the Evolution of 21st Century Sports Docs With ‘The Last Dance’ Director Jason Hehir

    Jason Hehir joins to discuss the medium of sports documentaries, as well as his films, like ‘The Fab Five,’ the lost Sacramento Kings documentary, ‘Down in the Valley,’ ‘Andre the Giant,’ and ‘The Last Dance’

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    Bill Simmons

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  • Evolution Seeks to Reveal the Identity of Rival Who Alleged Misconduct

    Evolution Seeks to Reveal the Identity of Rival Who Alleged Misconduct

    Back in 2021, an anonymous company submitted a report in which it alleged that live specialist Evolution had been involved in misconduct and had operated its products in prohibited jurisdictions. Years later, the former company’s identity might finally be revealed, should Evolution’s lawsuit succeed.

    For reference, Evolution denied the original claims, slamming them as defamatory. Despite that, the company experienced significant losses because of the report as shareholders reacted sharply.

    Claiming that the report sought to sabotage its business, Evolution launched a lawsuit against Calcagni & Kanefsky, a law firm that had represented its anonymous competitor and the competitor itself. As part of the lawsuit, Evolution requested the identity of its rival to be revealed.

    Eventually, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) concluded that Evolution had violated no rules. This was also echoed in the results of the company’s internal review which saw it carefully examine its business.

    Evolution May Be Emboldened by the Result of the Probe

    Calcagni & Kanefsky tried to challenge Evolution’s lawsuit but had little success. As a result, the court ordered the identity of the law firm’s client to be disclosed. However, Calcagni & Kanefsky was able to appeal this decision to the Appellate Court, which eventually referred the case to the trial court.

    The Appellate Court added that the results of the NJDGE investigation might also be a factor. As mentioned, the New Jersey regulator did not find evidence of misconduct and closed its probe into Evolution’s business.

    While there is no certainty that the outcome of the lawsuit will be affected by the results of the NJDGE probe, Evolution seems to be intent on striking back. In addition to attempting to publicly unmask its competitors, Evolution is also seeking damages and attorney fees, Next.io reported.

    Considering Evolution’s leading position in the world of live casino content and the fact that the lawsuit has been running for over two years, it is possible that all parties involved are in for a pricey lawsuit.

    In the meantime, Evolution has to deal with another lawsuit, as Pomerantz, a law firm specializing in securities litigation, announced the filing of a class action, alleging that the company had engaged in unlawful business practices.

    Fiona Simmons

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  • Evolution Europe CCO Sjöberg Stepping Down After Garden Leave

    Evolution Europe CCO Sjöberg Stepping Down After Garden Leave

    Evolution Europe’s chief commercial officer, Björn Sjöberg, has ended his garden leave that extended over a period of six months, announcing he will step down from his current position in the next two weeks.

    “Time Flies When You Work Hard!”

    Sjöberg took it to his LinkedIn account to make the announcement. He started his statement by explaining “Time flies when you work hard,” referring to the eight years he spent alongside the company.

    “This week marks my 8th anniversary employed by Evolution”, his statement read, “and in two weeks ends my 6 months Garden leave and official departure.”

    Sjöberg joined the Malta-located company in February 2016 from the position of key account manager, and rapidly climbed higher in the rankings, becoming head of SME in October 2017.

    Reminiscing about that time, the CCO said he felt “clueless about gaming and trying to understand a new industry with a broken English.”

    Since then, by working “harder than most people claim they do,” as he described it, he reached an impressive number of achievements throughout the years. 

    Just 10 months after landing the SME position, he was appointed head of key account management. 

    He kept the role for roughly four-and-a-half years prior to becoming CCO Europe in October 2022, a position that he called his dream role “for the most successful company in the Gaming industry.”  

    Sjöberg, who also held a number of account management positions for Helsingborg’s Galore Magazine and broadcaster for Kanal 5 and TV4-Gruppen, took the opportunity to speak about his “hands on” involvement in a large number of successful Live Casino stories. 

    He explained his success through his ability to constantly push himself to deliver more while also acknowledging his numerous failures and capacity to get back up again and keep phishing himself forward. 

    Special emphasis should be put on Sjöberg’s contribution to the launch of Top Card, which is Evolution Gaming’s flagship live football studio game available in 10 different versions and languages that continues to be one of its top-ranking titles across several studios and continents.

    “Leaving Evolution Has Been Tough”

    The CCO highlighted a list of the five most important people he has worked with and that he still considers friends today, including Erland Hellström, “solid as a rock and great friend,” Daria Woźna, “just a great person,” Renee Lansing, who performed “something magical,” Stuart Eagle, who he considers a “better salesperson” than he is, and Sebastian Johannisson Mählqvist, his “main influencer over the years.”

    Sjöberg added that “leaving Evolution has been tough” but explained that, since his garden leave began in September 2023, he enjoyed a much-needed break together with his family, further adding he was in no rush to decide what to do next in his career.

    In December, Evolution introduced its Crazy Time Live casino game in New Jersey.

    Melanie Porter

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