Evolution launches Ezugi in New Jersey, ahead of Michigan expansion
Evolution has launched its Ezugi brand of live casino games in New Jersey, the second of its live dealer brands to debut in the US market.
Ezugi will stream live casino games from a studio in Atlantic City.
Evolution has also confirmed plans to add a studio in Grand Rapids, Michigan. That facility is expected to begin operations in the first half of 2026.
The initial rollout in New Jersey includes several of Ezugi’s bigger titles, such as EZ Baccarat and Ultimate Auto Roulette.
EZ Baccarat is known for incorporating distinctive side bets, while Ultimate Auto Roulette is themed around a circus. According to the company, Revolution Roulette, which adds multiplier pockets to the standard reel, will be part of a future updated release.
The planned launch in Michigan will also feature a mixture of Ezugi and Evolution games, including Ultimate Roulette, 000 Roulette, and Marble Race.
Evolution North America Chief Executive Jacob Claesson said, “Introducing Ezugi as our second live casino brand in the US is an important step in our North American growth strategy. Ezugi’s distinctive portfolio complements Evolution’s world-leading game shows and live casino range, enabling operators to deliver an even richer, more varied live gaming experience tailored to US players.”
In recent news, Evolution has expanded the reach of its Crazy Time game show into Connecticut, following its earlier rollouts in states where it offers live dealer games.
Abi Bray brings strong researching skills to the forefront of all of her writing, whether it’s the newest slots, industry trends or the ever changing legislation across the U.S, Asia and Australia, she maintains a keen eye for detail and a passion for reporting.
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The Backstory
Setting the stage for a broader live-casino push
Evolution’s latest moves land in a market it has methodically stitched together over several years, state by state and partner by partner. The company’s U.S. strategy leans on two pillars: building distribution through major operators and widening its catalog with distinctive live content that keeps players engaged. Early footholds in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and beyond have given Evolution both scale and brand recognition, while the group’s second live brand, Ezugi, adds range and localization that operators can target to specific audiences. The approach mirrors a mature slots supplier playbook but adapted to the real-time demands and regulatory nuance of live tables and game shows.
That playbook gained speed this summer. Evolution introduced Ezugi’s live tables in New Jersey, streaming from Atlantic City and signaling a second wave of content in the U.S. beyond the flagship Evolution portfolio. The company also extended its showpiece game-show lineup into new jurisdictions, expanded its operator roster and opened bespoke studios that allow partners to differentiate. Taken together, the steps suggest Evolution is positioning for a more competitive and content-rich phase of U.S. iGaming, even as regulatory timelines and consumer tastes vary by state.
Ezugi’s U.S. debut signals a two-brand strategy
In New Jersey, Evolution rolled out Ezugi’s live casino suite with titles such as EZ Baccarat and Ultimate Auto Roulette, broadcast from a new studio in Atlantic City. The launch marked the second live brand under the Evolution umbrella to go live stateside and previewed a pipeline that includes features like multiplier mechanics in future releases. The company also mapped a path into Michigan with a Grand Rapids studio expected to open in the first half of 2026, bringing a mix of Ezugi and Evolution games into a maturing market. For details on the two-brand setup and Michigan plans, see Evolution launches Ezugi in New Jersey, ahead of Michigan expansion.
Ezugi’s arrival matters for operators that want differentiated baccarat and roulette experiences, localized formats and flexible betting limits. It also gives Evolution a way to segment its live portfolio, reserving high-production game shows under the Evolution label while Ezugi focuses on classic tables with twists and regional appeal. That segmentation is evident in Latin America, where Ezugi is already localized and now deepening ties with distribution partners.
Game shows broaden reach and retention
While Ezugi shores up tables, Evolution’s game-show franchises keep expanding. The company launched Crazy Time in Connecticut, completing availability across all states where it offers live dealer games and broadcasting from its in-state studio. Crazy Time’s hybrid format—money wheel, two-reel slot and multiple bonus rounds—has helped the title become a flagship for the category and spawn spin-offs like Crazy Coin Flip and Crazy Pachinko.
The Connecticut rollout underscores a broader content cadence: establish a studio footprint, bring in anchor tables, then layer on game shows that drive session length and streaming engagement. That rhythm can also cushion volatility from external shocks. Evolution’s shares recently wobbled after a partner in the Philippines lost its license, but continued U.S. game launches highlight how geographic and product diversification can steady the growth story.
Operator alliances knit together state-by-state expansion
Distribution agreements remain the engine of Evolution’s U.S. reach. In New Jersey, the supplier deepened ties with a global sportsbook giant as Bet365 added Evolution’s live dealer portfolio to its casino app. The package spans showpieces like Crazy Time, Dream Catcher and Lightning Roulette, as well as blackjack variants tailored for different bankrolls and speeds. The deal gives Bet365 a fuller table library in a competitive market and gives Evolution another high-traffic storefront.
In Rhode Island, Evolution found a new entry point by partnering with Bally’s. The agreement puts the company’s slots brands—NetEnt, Red Tiger and Big Time Gaming—into the state’s online ecosystem and delivers Bally’s-branded live blackjack tables to players in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. With the addition of Rhode Island, Evolution now operates in all seven states that allow iCasino, signaling that partnerships can unlock smaller but strategically valuable jurisdictions while extending branded experiences in larger ones.
These alliances also show a maturing commercial model. Multi-state operators want unified integrations that can scale across apps and regulatory boundaries, while suppliers need anchor tenants to justify studios and dedicated tables. Evolution’s mix of direct state entries and cross-state branded expansions with partners like Bally’s and Bet365 demonstrates how those incentives align.
Branded studios raise the bar on differentiation
A growing share of the live-casino story revolves around customization. In Pennsylvania, Caesars teamed with Evolution to open a dedicated live dealer studio in Philadelphia for its Caesars Palace Online Casino. Every table carries Caesars property branding, with some designs co-branded through sports league partnerships. The portfolio includes 21 Evolution titles spanning tables, game shows and sports-themed games, with bet limits ranging from micro-stakes to high-roller levels and an exclusive VIP blackjack option.
For Caesars, the studio extends a Las Vegas aesthetic into mobile and web, creating a brand moat in a state where multiple operators compete for table traffic. For Evolution, it’s proof that white-label and co-branded studios can command premium economics while leveraging its broadcast technology at scale. As more operators seek stickier experiences, expect more dedicated environments that combine table variety, flexible limits and brand-forward set design.
Latin America linkages inform U.S. content strategy
Beyond U.S. borders, Evolution is strengthening its Ezugi distribution in regulated Latin American markets, offering a window into how localization can translate back to North America. SkillOnNet expanded its partnership with Ezugi to bring Spanish-speaking dealers and region-specific betting limits to its Brazilian platforms, including PlayUZU and BacanaPlay. The move underscores Ezugi’s role as Evolution’s culturally tuned brand, delivering table games that resonate with local preferences and marketing narratives.
For U.S. operators, those learnings can inform segmented lobbies and targeted promotions for diverse player bases, particularly in states with large Hispanic communities. As regulatory frameworks evolve and more states consider iCasino, suppliers with proven localization and operator integrations will be better positioned to convert first-time table players into recurring audiences.
The through line across these developments is discipline. Evolution is layering brands, content formats and partner studios to cover both breadth and depth. Ezugi shores up classic tables and localization, Evolution-branded shows push entertainment value, and customized studios help operators tell their own stories. With the company now active in every legal iCasino state and queuing new studios such as Grand Rapids for early 2026, the stakes are clear: capture share before the next wave of state openings, and cement relationships that turn live casino from a novelty into a core, branded revenue stream.
