Latest News

LaCucina launches DeFi engagement platform democratizing the crypto landscape

Published

5 years ago

December 10, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

LaCucina, the fair DeFi engagement platform, is coming out of stealth, planning to officially launch on the Binance Smart Chain, the first one on the blockchain to offer regular users a way to enjoy DeFi even more. Through its advanced engagement enhancing program, the platform will offer a variety of engagement enhancement opportunities to users who used selected decentralized exchanges. As part of the launch campaign, LaCucina will allocate perks to users who provide liquidity to select liquidity pools on Uniswap, Pancake, and Sushiswap in summer 2021. The users will not have to do any additional staking or pull their tokens out of the DEXs to claim their rewards. The platform’s flexible engagement enhancing system, or Cooking Plans, is designed to prioritize factors other than the stake size, such as the time when the stake was made, its duration, and other engagement factors. This allows small users to punch above their weight with well-timed and committed engagement.

Many DEXs and farms offer lucrative opportunities with high-percentage yields, yet they are often designed to mainly benefit the crypto whales, essentially allowing the rich to get far richer, while those who hold less see very slow growth. These benefits derive from staking protocols that mostly reward users who stake large sums into the liquidity pools rather than for their dedication to bringing liquidity, no matter what the staking amount. LaCucina evens the playing field by rewarding engagement in a more fair, fun, and flexible way.

The platform currently employs a four-pronged engagement enhancing system for its users to encourage DeFi engagement, distributing the platform’s native utility “LAC” token. The programs enable users to maximize their yields in a fun and unique rewards experience in the following fashion:

External farming: Users who stake their tokens into promoted liquidity pools at the top 10 select decentralized exchanges may receive “LAC” tokens in LaCucina’s “Ovens” (equivalency of farms), which serves as an additional engagement layer on top of other DEXs.
Rewards multiplier system: Each of LaCucina’s “Oven” will have its own tailored set of “Cooking Plans”—specific engagement enhancing policies that may prioritize early and/or lasting liquidity provision, resulting in small users enjoying DeFi more than in any other platform.
Cooking up dishes: The LAC token can be used, among other things, to get “Secret Ingredients”—special NFTs, such as “Space Mushrooms” and “Martian Worms.” These NFTs are created and released on an on-going basis and will represent an image of a specific ingredient. These NFTs could be used to “cook” a pizza, zuppa, pasta, or other non-transferable NFT “dishes,” which are not only visually appealing, but will also carry a multiplier value that may boost user earnings in the “Ovens” to a greater extent.
NFT avatars: Users can mint specialized alien avatar NFTs to compliment the exosystem. The NFTs are guaranteed to be unique, distinctive, minted on the blockchain, and fully owned by the user. The NFTs are theme-related, with the Genesis Theme (expected in early December 2021) consisting of a limited 10,000 avatars. Future series will be announced by LaCucina.

“LaCucina was born out of the necessity for projects to create appealing and attractive ways to incentivize users to engage with and promote such projects. None of the existing DEXs and farms out there offer the level of flexibility that LaCucina offers, resulting in biased allocations of rewards, in such a way that the rich get richer and the small players do not stand a chance of properly enjoy DeFi,” says LaCucina’s Head Chef. “But the vision doesn’t stop there. LaCucina is planning on being the most impartial launchpad for crypto projects, facilitating direct engagement between projects and users and allowing projects to directly reward users for their engagement with the project. LaCucina’s roadmap for the near future offers a truly special product and aims to set a new standard for launchpads.”

eSports

Esports Foundation names Faker Game Ambassador for EWC and ENC through 2028

Published

9 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

esports-foundation-names-faker-game-ambassador-for-ewc-and-enc-through-2028

Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok joins Cristiano Ronaldo and Magnus Carlsen in the Esports Foundation’s Ambassador Program.

The Esports Foundation (EF) has appointed Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok as a Game Ambassador for the Esports World Cup (EWC) and Esports Nations Cup (ENC) through 2028, the organization said on July 15, 2026 in a statement issued from Riyadh and Paris.

EF said Faker joins Cristiano Ronaldo, listed as the Foundation’s Global Ambassador, and Magnus Carlsen as part of the Esports Foundation Ambassador Program. The Foundation said Faker will represent “the perspective of esports players” across its international events, athlete initiatives, media engagements and leadership forums.

“You can’t talk about esports without mentioning Faker. He is the defining athlete of competitive gaming: a champion whose excellence, discipline and longevity have inspired an entire generation,” said Ralf Reichert, Chief Executive Officer of the Esports Foundation. “As our Game Ambassador, Faker represents something fundamental to the Ambassador Program: esports creates its own global sporting icons. Across EWC, ENC and NGSC, he will help ensure that the players who built this sport have a voice in shaping where it goes next.”

Faker said: “Competition has shaped my life, and I am proud to join the Esports Foundation as Game Ambassador. I want to continue competing for the biggest titles with T1 while representing the players and fans who have helped esports grow worldwide. Through the Esports World Cup, Esports Nations Cup and the Foundation’s wider platforms, I hope to inspire the next generation to pursue excellence, remain resilient and believe in how far competitive gaming can take them. There is still much more to achieve.”

EF highlighted Faker’s competitive record, describing him as a six-time League of Legends World Champion, EWC 2024 winner, two-time MSI champion and ten-time domestic champion with T1. The Foundation also said Faker became the first esports athlete to receive the Blue Dragon Medal in 2026, describing it as the Republic of Korea’s highest sporting honor awarded by President Lee Jae-myung.

The post Esports Foundation names Faker Game Ambassador for EWC and ENC through 2028 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Brand Partnerships

Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season

Published

16 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

midnite-signs-as-middlesbrough-fc-principal-partner-for-2026/27-season

Midnite has agreed a partnership with Middlesbrough FC that will see the UK bookmaker become the club’s principal partner and front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2026/27 campaign, which Middlesbrough describes as its landmark 150th season.

The companies announced the deal alongside a fan activation at Riverside Stadium on Thursday, July 9, branded “This Season’s On Us”. The initiative offered supporters prizes including 2026/27 season tickets, 2026/27 shirts, match tickets, or a £25 club shop voucher, with fans required to answer Middlesbrough trivia and complete a football challenge.

Middlesbrough former players Craig Hignett and David Wheater attended the event, and, according to the company, took bonus attempts on behalf of participants who missed out.

Andrew Mook, Midnite’s Head of Brand Marketing, said:

“Middlesbrough have a storied history and we’re delighted to announce this partnership during such a monumental year with the club celebrating their 150th anniversary.

“It was great to see so many Middlesbrough fans at the “This Season’s On Us” activation, we hope they enjoyed taking part and meeting club legends, with David Wheater hitting top bins on several occasions and allowing fans to win big with season tickets.

“We can’t wait to get to Riverside Stadium in August to kick-off a new season and we’re excited to say that we have plenty of new and captivating campaigns planned.”

Lee Fryett, Middlesbrough FC Chief Commercial Officer, added:

“We’re delighted to welcome Midnite as our new Principal Partner.

“We’re looking forward to working closely with Midnite to develop engaging campaigns, content and unique experiences that bring our fans even closer to the club.

“We’re confident this partnership will provide real value for our supporters while supporting our ambitions both on and off the pitch.”

The post Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

AGCO

ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch

Published

16 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

thrilltech-secures-agco-supplier-licence-for-ontario-launch

ThrillTech has been awarded a Gaming-Related Supplier licence by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), clearing the company to launch in Ontario’s regulated market.

The licence allows ThrillTech to deploy its opt-in side bet jackpots technology with regulated online casino, sports betting and lottery operators across the province.

Benjamin Bradtke, Co-Founder of ThrillTech, said: “Securing our AGCO licence is a major step in our mission to transform how jackpots are delivered at scale across regulated markets. This latest certification is testament to our robust technology and trusted compliance frameworks, allowing us to continue our global growth trajectory. We are thrilled to bring our proven, compliant jackpot technology to Ontario, empowering locally licensed operators to uplift revenue without cannibalising existing spend.”

The company said its “ThrillPots” mechanics sit as an independent, player-funded side bet and do not alter the underlying game’s return-to-player mathematics.

ThrillTech said the Ontario approval enables its existing multinational partners that also operate in the province to launch its side bet jackpots locally, while it also holds talks with potential new operator partners. The company lists its regulated footprint as including the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Romania, Malta, Gibraltar, Brazil and Peru.

The post ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.