Industry News

Casino experts reveal clever ways to read a ‘poker face’

Published

4 years ago

July 27, 2022

George Miller

Reading Time: 3 minutes

From how to spot a fake smile to uncovering anger, here’s what’s hiding beneath the bluff

If you’ve ever struggled to work out what your opponent is thinking, chances are they’ve mastered the art of the poker face.

Described as an “an inscrutable face that reveals no hint of a person’s thoughts or feelings” alongside poker players, politicians, celebrities, and industry leaders are known to put on their best poker face when in high pressured situations.

To help you decipher what’s going on beneath the surface, poker experts at Jeffbet have shared some expert tips on how to read a poker face – both on and off the table.

A spokesperson from Jeffbet said:“In a game of poker, it’s common for a player to deliberately hide their facial expressions, howevever, there is one way to read a poker face that many people aren’t aware of. The key is to look out for microexpressions, which arise subconsciously and cannot be deliberately evoked or suppressed. Microexpressions can be quite difficult to detect, as they last for just 0.5 seconds, however with some practice, you can learn how to spot them.”

How to read a poker face

There are seven microexpressions to spot, however, unlike regular facial expressions which last up to four seconds, these quick-fire facial movements will last just half a second, so it’s important to focus -as they won’t be obvious.

From how to spot a fake smile to uncovering contempt, we’ve rounded up the things you need to look out for when trying to figure out a bluff.

Surprise – If someone is surprised, their eyebrows are likely to be raised and curved, and you may notice horizontal wrinkles across the forehead. Without staring, notice if their eyelids are open, with the white of the eye showing above and below the pupil. Their jaw may slightly open, too, but there will be no tension or stretching of the mouth.

Fear – When a person is trying to hide fear or anxiety, their eyebrows will be raised and drawn together, usually in a straight line. They many also show wrinkles in the centre of the forehead just between the eyebrows – but not across. Their eyes may have the upper white showing, but not the lower white.

Disgust – Hiding disgust is difficult, however there are some subconscious facial movements to look out for. The eyes may be narrow, and the nose may be slightly wrinkled. Look out for a quick flash of the upper teeth, too.

Anger – Look at the person’s eyebrows, and notice if they are lowered and drawn together, with vertical lines between them. Their lips may also become tense, with corners down, or in a square shape. Another good way to know for sure, is if their nostrils dilate.

Happiness – Happiness is the most difficult emotion to fake, and it’s easy to spot a fake smile if you know the trick. Notice if they have crow’s feet near the outside of the eyes, if they don’t, and their lips are open in a smile, chances are they aren’t conveying genuine happiness.

Sadness – Sad microexpressions are not very large or noticeable and can be difficult to detect. However, they usually last slightly longer than the other microexpressions. However, look to see if the inner corners of the eyebrows are drawn in and then up, and the corners of the lips are drawn down. The lower lip may also very slightly pout out.

Contempt – if you think someone dislikes you, or disagrees with your opinion, there is one thing to look out for. If one side of their mouth slightly raises, chances are you’re right. This is the only asymmetrical microexpression and it’s one of the easiest to spot.

AI

Tugi Tark whitepaper puts AI iGaming support at €0.15 per ticket

Published

5 days ago

May 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

tugi-tark-whitepaper-puts-ai-igaming-support-at-e0.15-per-ticket

Tugi Tark has released a 2026 whitepaper, The economics of AI-powered iGaming customer support, arguing that AI changes the unit economics of player support and can reduce costs compared with human-led operations.

The report cites “verified pricing” of EUR 0.15 per AI-handled ticket. It compares that with fully loaded employer costs for human support in Romania and Bulgaria of EUR 1.73 to EUR 1.88 per ticket. At a “realistic” 70% AI containment rate, the whitepaper claims a blended cost of about EUR 0.67 per ticket, which it describes as roughly a 64% reduction versus a human-only baseline of EUR 1.88.

Tugi Tark says its analysis draws on Eurostat 2024 labour cost data, published research on AI chatbot benchmarks, independent iGaming player behaviour research, and operational data from its own deployments. The company estimates operators can achieve a 55% to 75% reduction in total support expenditure, and argues AI can absorb volume spikes—such as during major sporting events—without additional hiring or training lag.

Harpo Lilja, founder and CEO of TUgi Tark, said: “In 2026, the ‘wait-and-see’ approach to AI is costing operators millions in unnecessary overhead. We aren’t just talking about chatbots; we’re talking about a fundamental shift in the unit economics of player retention.”

The whitepaper also frames customer support as a retention lever, stating that payment issues account for 52% of ticket volume and that slower response times drive churn. It claims a 0.5 percentage point churn reduction could retain an additional 500 players per month for a mid-sized operator, translating to €200,000 in annual revenue based on an assumed €400 Player Lifetime Value. Tugi Tark also claims AI agents average ~7 seconds for first response versus ~60 seconds for human agents, and outlines use cases across Responsible Gambling escalation, KYC/AML workflows, and GDPR-aligned data sovereignty.

The post Tugi Tark whitepaper puts AI iGaming support at €0.15 per ticket appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Game Development

Games Global outlines May slot roadmap with Snowborn, AreaVegas and Just For The Win

Published

5 days ago

May 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

games-global-outlines-may-slot-roadmap-with-snowborn,-areavegas-and-just-for-the-win

Games Global has published its May content roadmap, highlighting new slot releases from Snowborn Games, AreaVegas Games and Just For The Win, and a continued push to reuse established mechanics across its studio network.

The supplier said Area Link and Power Combo will feature prominently in May’s launches. AreaVegas Games’ Area Link Chilli uses six chilli symbols above the reels tied to bonus modifiers that can trigger individually or together, including cash prizes and fixed jackpots, multipliers, instant collectors and value boosters.

Games Global also pointed to Just For The Win’s Bison Ridge Power Combo, where Link&Win is combined with Power Combo to create what it described as a more varied bonus structure.

Snowborn Games’ Volcanic Fortune is positioned around bonus modifiers such as collectors and multipliers, plus a Treasure Chest meter designed to build towards higher-value bonus outcomes.

David Reynolds, Director of Games Strategy and Partner Management at Games Global, said: “Our studios bring the craft, and May’s roadmap puts that on full display. It’s built around extending global franchises into new titles across our network, which is how we deliver breadth without compromising quality. The result is a pipeline that gives operators choice and players variety.”

The post Games Global outlines May slot roadmap with Snowborn, AreaVegas and Just For The Win appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

charity-lotteries

ZEAL posts 6% Q1 2026 revenue growth as EBITDA dips on investment spend

Published

5 days ago

May 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

zeal-posts-6%-q1-2026-revenue-growth-as-ebitda-dips-on-investment-spend

ZEAL Network SE reported higher first-quarter 2026 revenue despite what it described as a weak jackpot environment, while profitability softened as the company increased investment. Revenue rose 6% year-on-year to €54.3 million (2025: €51.1 million). EBITDA fell to €15.5 million from €17.7 million.

“The first quarter of 2026 shows that we are consistently executing our strategy even in a weak jackpot environment: our core business is growing, and we have continued to invest in diversifying our business model,” says Andrea Behrendt, CFO of ZEAL. “Through targeted investments in new charity lotteries such as the Dream Car Raffle, we are laying the foundation for sustainable growth that is less dependent on jackpot cycles. The slightly lower EBITDA compared to the previous year is primarily a reflection of these measures.”

In the core lottery segment, ZEAL said average monthly active users increased 5% to 1,575 thousand (2025: 1,507 thousand), while new registrations climbed 11% to 274 thousand (2025: 247 thousand). Lottery billings edged up 1% to €268.0 million (2025: €264.7 million). The lottery gross margin improved to 17.8% (2025: 17.1%), with lottery revenue up 5% to €48.7 million (2025: €46.3 million).

ZEAL also used Q1 to prepare a new in-house charity lottery product. The company said it launched the Traumautoverlosung (English name: Dream Car Raffle) on 14 April 2026, its third charity lottery in Germany after freiheit+ and the Dream House Raffle.

In Games, ZEAL reported revenue up 14% to €3.9 million (2025: €3.4 million) after expanding its B2C portfolio to more than 740 titles. ZEAL said higher marketing costs (+13%) and personnel expenses (+21%) reflected continued investment in scaling charity lotteries and Games alongside the core lottery business.

The post ZEAL posts 6% Q1 2026 revenue growth as EBITDA dips on investment spend appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.