Latest News
ITL’s Age Check Solutions Attract Big Crowds at ICE London
Innovative Technology (ITL) took part in the last ICE to be held in London last week which attracted huge crowds from the gaming industry before the show moves to Barcelona in 2025. The Innovative stand was right opposite the Consumer Protection Zone which was a key theme at the show, with both their traditional cash handling equipment and latest biometric technology ranges on display.
Marcus Tiedt, Director of Sales & Marketing at ITL, said: “By far the most crowd-pulling solution on the stand was our AI-powered biometric age check technology which provides the gaming industry with a robust tool to prevent underage gambling and safeguard vulnerable players. The industry, government, operators and manufacturers are all committed to ensuring player protection and it was great to demonstrate at ICE how accurate age verification can play a key role. We showed how easy and intuitive it is to receive alerts via a tablet or mobile device whenever someone potentially underage or even self-excluded is trying to play a machine or access an age restricted area at multiple touchpoints.”
Dr Andrew O’Brien, Biometrics Product Manager, said: “Major UK OEMs including Inspired and Reflex have already successfully installed our ICU Lite age verification solution into their gaming cabinets so it was fantastic to see some of them demo this fully integrated on site at ICE. We were also pleased to show a team of compliance and local authority officers our solutions following their visit to the GBG (Gambling Business Group) stand which demonstrated ICU Lite working in an Inspired machine. A key advantage of our technology is that customers only need to pay for the hardware with unlimited age checks at no extra cost. No matter how many age checks are performed, the cost remains the same, making this an affordable solution with a quick return on investment, especially when compared to a subscription service. Plus it’s a completely offline solution meaning all processing is done locally making our solution faster, readily accessible even with no or poor internet and with no privacy issues to worry about either.”
ITL also had a section of their stand dedicated to their traditional cash handling equipment that includes note and coin validators and recyclers which have been used by the gaming industry for over 30 years.
Marcus said: “It was great to show ICE visitors our latest devices for secure cash transactions including the NV4000 and new coin elevator module for the SMART Coin System (SCS). The NV4000 mixed denomination multi bill recycler is ideal for change and redemption terminals, boasting larger recycling capacities, meaning fewer refills and improved machine uptime. Combining the NV4000 with the new elevator module for the SCS, not only can we provide a complete payment solution for both notes and coins, but we can also minimise the gap between coin entry and exit points, improving accessibility and the overall customer experience.”
Marcus added: “There was a real buzz on the stand this year and our team are excited to follow up on all the positive conversations that took place to ensure our gaming customers have the best possible cash validation and age estimation solutions in place. We are proud to be a long-standing supporter of ICE and look forward to celebrating our 30th year exhibiting in Barcelona in 2025.”
BETANO
Betano named FIFA World Cup 2026 Tournament Supporter for Europe and South America
Betano has been named an Official Tournament Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026
for Europe and South America under a new partnership between FIFA and Kaizen Gaming’s lead brand. The tournament will be held across Canada, Mexico and the United States from Thursday, 11 June until Sunday, 19 July.
The agreement is the third collaboration between Betano and FIFA. Betano previously joined as an Official Regional Supporter of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
for Europe and was later announced as an Official Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025
.
“We are delighted to welcome Betano among the Tournament Supporters of the FIFA World Cup 2026,” said FIFA’s Chief Business Officer, Romy Gai.
“Partnering with FIFA for the third time is a proud milestone for everyone at Kaizen Gaming and a clear reflection of our global evolution,” added George Daskalakis, co-founder and CEO of Kaizen Gaming.
Kaizen Gaming said Betano will run physical and digital fan engagement activations in Europe and South America around the tournament, and will offer responsible gaming tools including financial limits, time management features and 24/7 customer support.
The post Betano named FIFA World Cup 2026 Tournament Supporter for Europe and South America appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
chess
S8UL’s Aravindh Chithambaram qualifies for Esports World Cup 2026 chess event
S8UL’s Grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram has qualified for the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 Chess main event after winning the Road to EWC qualifier at DreamHack Atlanta, according to the organization. S8UL said the result makes him the first Indian player to secure qualification for the Chess main event.
The qualifier used a group stage and playoffs format, with two games per series and Armageddon as the tiebreaker, played at 10 minutes with no increment. Aravindh advanced from Group B into the Upper Bracket semifinals after wins over Kyler Raines, Justin Liang, Oleksander Bortnyk, and Christopher Woo.
In the Upper Bracket semifinals, Aravindh beat Woo 2-1 after two draws and an Armageddon decider. He then defeated Alexey Sarana 2-1 in the Upper Bracket Final to reach the grand final, where he faced Sarana again. S8UL said the grand final used a double-match format, and after Sarana won the opening two games from the Lower Bracket side, Aravindh came back to win the Armageddon decider to take the qualifier.
The win earned the 26-year-old USD 15,000 (~INR 14 lakh) and one of the eight qualification slots confirmed so far for the EWC 2026 Chess main event, scheduled for August 11 to 15 with a USD 1.5 million (~INR 14 crore) prize pool. S8UL said it is now qualified for three EWC 2026 titles, following Fortnite and Honor of Kings.
“Qualifying for the Esports World Cup this year is a very proud and exciting moment for me, especially with so many top players and organizations from around the world competing at the event. This particular format leaves very little room for error, as every decision matters when you are playing 10-minute games without increment against some of the strongest players in the world. I am also very grateful to the team at S8UL for their consistent support and belief in me since last year. Their approach towards chess and nurturing Indian talent has been incredibly encouraging, and I am looking forward to representing the organization and giving my best at the main event” Chithambaram said.
S8UL added that fellow Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Pranesh M remain in contention to qualify for EWC 2026 Chess via the Champions Chess Tour Leaderboard, Last Chance Qualifiers, and an India Rising slot scheduled to conclude on July 5. “One of the things we’ve consistently focused on at S8UL is creating opportunities for Indian talent to compete and succeed on the biggest global stages. Aravindh Chithambaram qualifying for the Esports World Cup is a huge moment, not just for us as an organization, but for Indian chess overall. The level of competition and pressure in this format is extremely high, which makes this achievement even more special. We’ve always believed India has the talent to stand alongside the very best in the world, and seeing Aravindh become the first Indian to qualify really reinforces that belief,” said Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO, S8UL Esports.
The post S8UL’s Aravindh Chithambaram qualifies for Esports World Cup 2026 chess event appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Casino Guru
Casino Guru Awards 2026 set for May 25 in Malta ahead of NEXT Valletta
Casino Guru will hold the Casino Guru Awards 2026 on May 25 at Xara Lodge in Malta, ahead of the NEXT Valletta conference. The organiser said the event will recognise companies, initiatives and individuals tied to fairness, player protection and ethical business practices in online gambling.
According to Casino Guru, the awards are positioned differently from typical industry programmes by prioritising “measurable impact and long-term commitment” rather than brand scale or marketing reach.
“The Casino Guru Awards are about recognizing the people and companies that genuinely prioritize players and contribute to a healthier industry,” said Daniela Sliva, PR & Creative Projects Director at Casino Guru. “As we approach the event, we’re excited to celebrate the efforts that often happen behind the scenes but have a real impact on the future of iGaming.”
Casino Guru said around 150 guests are expected to attend, with winners to be announced across multiple categories during an evening programme that also includes networking, dining and an afterparty.
The post Casino Guru Awards 2026 set for May 25 in Malta ahead of NEXT Valletta appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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