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Escape Studios partners with Epic Games and leading European animation schools to deliver world’s largest training programme in Unreal Engine

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Mark Flanagan, Education Partner Manager, Epic Games said: “The Summer of Unreal is an incredible opportunity that is open to professionals in animation and VFX all across Europe, and we couldn’t be happier to invite the industry to participate. Escape Studios is a wonderful partner who, along with a number of Europe’s best animation schools, are running this programme, which is set to be the biggest Unreal Engine training that we’ve undertaken to date. We’re excited to help all learners find new ways to tell awesome stories and express their creativity using Unreal Engine.”

Saint Walker, Deputy Dean of Escape Studios, said: “The Summer of Unreal is a fantastic opportunity for animation and 3D CGI professionals across Europe to discover more about the cutting-edge technology on offer with Unreal Engine.

“We’ve worked with top animation companies to create a novel animation-centric way of teaching Unreal Engine, in one of the most ambitious training programmes that Escape Studios has been involved with – our vision of a pan-European festival of learning in Unreal Engine has gained us amazing academic partners in the form of some of the best animation schools in the world. We invite learners across Europe to join us. Make your summer staycation Unreal!”

The Summer of Unreal will be taught online in English and is free-of-charge to professionals working in the animation, motion graphics and VFX industry who want an informal group experience of learning Unreal Engine over the holiday period. The course will feature daily workshops covering all the major aspects of using Unreal Engine interspersed with practice time, teamwork, as well as demonstrations and masterclasses from some of Europe’s premiere companies and artists showing how they use the platform in their work.

Mark Spevick, Escape Studios’ Head of 3D VFX will be the main ‘showrunner’ for the Summer of Unreal. The unique role used in Escapes’ larger courses ensures that tutors get to hear and address the most important questions from the online shop floor through Mark’s advocacy. Mark combines teaching and programme design with senior industry experience, having worked at Peerless Camera, the production house co-owned by Terry Gilliam.

Partner quotes

Timothy Leborgne, Head of Talent & Skills Development, The Animation Workshop/VIA University College
“A course such as Summer of Unreal is very welcome. Whether you look at film, animated series, or games we can all see a growing demand for rapid development and competent animators. And Unreal Engine is one particularly advanced tool and software we can’t avoid as professionals in the future. So, I am excited and happy we bring such a valuable course to professionals in our industry. By partnering with such competent institutions and studios across Europe, we have ensured that the course will deliver the best training.”

Gilbert Kiner, President, ARTFX
“Since its creation in 2004, ARTFX has been dedicated to training students using the latest technology and software. Beyond using this engine for our Games courses, Unreal has also been integrated into the previz pipeline for our VFX programs. We are very happy and proud to have been chosen as the exclusive French partner for this collaborative initiative.”

Felix Balbás, Area Director of Animation & VFX at La Salle-URL
“Unreal Engine is a reality we can’t ignore. No longer only in videogames and recently virtual production, now more than ever the future of any visual content creation and in particular animation and VFX, must take this evolution into account. Not only in previs stage, but also in full production. This is why La Salle-URL’s commitment towards promoting state-of-the-art training along with leader institutions at a European level is reflected in the Summer of Unreal.”

Miljana Jovović, Executive Director, Crater Training Center
“We are happy to join the Summer of Unreal as partners for Southeastern Europe, as we see this project as a great chance to upskill and connect professionals across the continent. We have spent the first part of 2021 educating university professors in Serbia in Unreal Engine so they could implement the newly-gained knowledge to their study programs and introduce the software to their students.”

Katja Schmid, Visual Effects and Post Production Professor, Hochschule der Medien
“Many artists in the industry have been waiting for this course. Now the time has come. At the moment, Unreal is one of the most in-demand tools in the industry. The response to the course announcement has been fantastic. It’s just an amazing opportunity not only to get trained for free but also to be part of a most inspiring community! We are very impressed by this large-scale project and excited to be contributing.”

Gareth Lee, Screen Skills Ireland Manager
“Screen Skills Ireland is hugely excited to be part of the Summer of Unreal. This is a unique opportunity for Irish screen sector professionals to learn about the powerful capabilities of Unreal Engine from industry experts, as well as connect with their peers across Europe.”

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Plaza Hotel & Casino and The Mob Museum launch ‘Wiseguy Getaway’ package

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Downtown Las Vegas bundle includes a two-night minimum stay, Mob Museum tickets and Oscar’s Steakhouse perk; booking window runs through Dec. 26, 2026.

Plaza Hotel & Casino and The Mob Museum said May 18, 2026 they are partnering on a new downtown Las Vegas hotel offer called The Wiseguy Getaway.

The package includes a two-night minimum stay at the Plaza Hotel & Casino, two complimentary tickets to The Mob Museum, a complimentary appetizer at Oscar’s Steakhouse during happy hour, and an “exclusive autographed photo” of Oscar B. Goodman, described by the companies as a reputed mob attorney and former mayor of Las Vegas.

“From being in Casino to the mobsters Oscar Goodman once represented, the Plaza is uniquely tied to this captivating element of Vegas history, so creating the Wiseguy Getaway with The Mob Museum made perfect sense,” said Jonathan Jossel, CEO of the Plaza Hotel & Casino. “The drama and intrigue of the mob era continue to fascinate our guests, so we believe this new hotel package will be very popular.”

“Las Vegas has no shortage of incredible experiences, and the Wiseguy package adds something truly unique to the mix. This Downtown Las Vegas adventure combines world-class history, curated dining and an iconic hotel stay into something you genuinely can’t find anywhere else in the city,” said Ashley Miller, vice president of marketing, communications and sales, The Mob Museum.

Stays must be booked by Dec. 26, 2026, and occur by Dec. 28, 2026. Reservations are available via the Plaza’s website.

The post Plaza Hotel & Casino and The Mob Museum launch ‘Wiseguy Getaway’ package appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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SEON warns World Cup betting surge will expose retention and loyalty fraud

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Fraud expert George Pace says operators focused on welcome bonus abuse risk missing ongoing “back door” losses during peak volume.

SEON fraud expert George Pace is warning betting and gaming operators to brace for a World Cup-driven spike in account activity that could strain fraud teams and increase losses from promotion and loyalty abuse.

“The World Cup will be one of the biggest stress tests for fraud teams in betting and gaming. Promotion abuse and loyalty abuse already account for a significant share of fraud losses, and that’s before you factor in the World Cup surge. Logins, registrations and transactions will all spike at the same time, while operators compete aggressively with welcome bonuses and free bets.”

Pace said operators often prioritize stopping welcome bonus abuse, but argued the larger threat during high-volume events is repeat exploitation tied to retention mechanics. “Most attention goes to welcome bonus fraud, but that’s only a one-time hit. The bigger risk is retention abuse. It creates an ongoing revenue stream for fraudsters and often goes unnoticed for longer, especially during high-volume events.”

He added that fraudsters may not need advanced tactics if they can blend in while legitimate traffic rises. “When thousands of legitimate, high-value players become active at once, fraudsters don’t need to be particularly sophisticated. They just need to blend in with normal behavior, making detection harder at the exact moment teams are already stretched.”

Pace also pointed to what he described as a growing gap between fraud losses and topline performance for operators. “Recent data shows many operators aren’t prepared for this shift. Already, 57% report fraud losses growing faster than revenue, a gap that only widens during high-volume events like the World Cup. Operators that only protect the front door are going to get robbed through the back.”

The post SEON warns World Cup betting surge will expose retention and loyalty fraud appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Plaza Hotel & Casino and The Mob Museum to offer The Wiseguy Getaway

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Plaza Hotel & Casino and The Mob Museum to offer The Wiseguy Getaway

The Plaza Hotel & Casino and The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, are partnering to offer a special downtown Las Vegas hotel package, The Wiseguy Getaway, as the best way to see Las Vegas beyond the Strip and experience the classic mob era of Las Vegas.

The Wiseguy Getaway package was created by the Plaza and The Mob Museum given the high interest guests have for the mobster era of Las Vegas and how they both uniquely highlight the city’s past. The Plaza’s iconic glass domed restaurant was featured in the classic mobster movie Casino and today, is named after reputed mob attorney and former Mayor of Las Vegas, Oscar B. Goodman. Many of the menu items at Oscar’s Steakhouse pay homage to Goodman’s infamous ‘friends,’ like No Nose’s Mob Meatballs, Crazy Phil’s Onion Soup, and Joey C’s Filet Mignon. Goodman was also the primary visionary of The Mob Museum, which consistently ranks as one of the most unique things to do in Las Vegas and has become the predominant authority on the history of organized crime, law enforcement and the mob in Las Vegas with its unmatched collection of artifacts, immersive storylines, and interactive exhibits.

The Wiseguy Getaway package offers guests:

2-night stay (minimum) at the Plaza Hotel & Casino
2 complimentary tickets to The Mob Museum
Complimentary appetizer at Oscar’s Steakhouse during happy hour
Exclusive autographed photo of reputed mob attorney and former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar B. Goodman

“From being in Casino to the mobsters Oscar Goodman once represented, the Plaza is uniquely tied to this captivating element of Vegas history, so creating the Wiseguy Getaway with The Mob Museum made perfect sense,” said Jonathan Jossel, CEO of the Plaza Hotel & Casino. “The drama and intrigue of the mob era continue to fascinate our guests, so we believe this new hotel package will be very popular.”

“Las Vegas has no shortage of incredible experiences, and the Wiseguy package adds something truly unique to the mix. This Downtown Las Vegas adventure combines world-class history, curated dining and an iconic hotel stay into something you genuinely can’t find anywhere else in the city,” said Ashley Miller, vice president of marketing, communications and sales, The Mob Museum.

Stays must be booked by Dec. 26, 2026, and occur by Dec. 28, 2026. Reservations can be made online at .plazahotelcasino.com/hotel-packages/wise-guy-room-package/.

The post Plaza Hotel & Casino and The Mob Museum to offer The Wiseguy Getaway appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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