AI
Smart, AI-enhanced customer service firm Tugi Tark selected for Pitch ICE Barcelona 2026
In what has become the most competitive selection process in the event’s history, Tugi Tark has been chosen as one of just 12 startups to present at Pitch ICE 2026 during ICE Barcelona, the iGaming industry’s flagship global event.
This year’s competition saw a 200% increase in applications compared to the previous year, reflecting the heightened interest in ICE Barcelona as a launching platform for emerging technology companies. From hundreds of applicants worldwide, Tugi Tark was selected to make its case for how AI agents purpose-built for iGaming can transform player support at scale.
What is Pitch ICE?
Pitch ICE has established itself as one of the industry’s most watched startup competitions. The event brings together emerging iGaming companies and a carefully selected jury of industry leaders, successful entrepreneurs, and active investors who shape the direction of iGaming innovation.
Previous Pitch ICE competitions have launched companies that went on to secure significant funding rounds and major partnerships. This year’s competition format gives each of the 12 selected companies three minutes to pitch, followed by a live Q&A session with the jury. The challenge isn’t just to explain what the technology does, but to demonstrate why it matters to the future of iGaming, and why now.
Standing out in a crowded field
The 200% increase in applications reflects the surge of innovation happening across the iGaming industry. Startups are tackling everything from payments and marketing to game development and player protection. The competition includes companies at various stages, working on diverse problems across the iGaming value chain.
The selection committee’s choice to include Tugi Tark among the 12 finalists signals recognition that customer service, often overlooked as infrastructure, is becoming a strategic differentiator as operators compete on player experience.
Rather than positioning AI as a replacement for human support teams, the pitch emphasizes how AI agents can remove friction from growth, enabling operators to scale across markets, languages, and brands without sacrificing service quality or regulatory compliance.
The Stakes: €15,000 in AWS credits and industry recognition
The winner of Pitch ICE 2026 will receive €15,000 in AWS credits, sponsored by AWS, along with the Pitch ICE 2026 Trophy. But for most participants, the real value extends beyond the prize.
Harpo Lilja, CEO of Tugi Tark, reflected on what the selection means for the company: “Pitch ICE is highly competitive, so being selected, especially in a year with such a sharp increase in applications, is a strong signal. It shows there’s real interest in AI solutions that are built specifically for iGaming, not adapted from other industries.”
He continued: “We’re not pitching AI as a buzzword or a futuristic concept. We’re showing operators how AI agents can realistically handle player support in a regulated, high-expectation environment, and where human oversight still plays a critical role. That balance is what operators are looking for right now.”
When and where to see Tugi Tark at ICE Barcelona
All 12 Pitch ICE finalists will present on Tuesday, January 20th, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the Pitch ICE stage. Tugi Tark will present at 11:19am for exactly three minutes!
Following the pitches, attendees can meet the Tugi Tark team and explore the AI platform in person at Stand PI03 in the Pitch ICE exhibition area, located between Halls 4 and 5.
The post Smart, AI-enhanced customer service firm Tugi Tark selected for Pitch ICE Barcelona 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
AI
SlotGPT Introduces Prompt-to-Production Slot Gaming Platform
SlotGPT announced the launch of its AI platform that enables players to create production-grade slot games from a single prompt. The platform has already generated nearly 27,000 slot games, and offers users a personalized and accessible way to generate and play their own unique slot games, both for free and real money.
SlotGPT allows players to generate 100% of a game on the platform, including styles, mechanics, visuals, and sound. Each game that passes through SlotGPT’s moderation layer is fully original, including bespoke music and audio produced using advanced generative sound and music engines. The platform has an exclusive pathway to launch games directly on Stake.com, the world’s largest online casino. It is the only platform creating fully launchable slot games on a top-tier global casino from AI prompts, granting creators exposure to millions of players.
SlotGPT’s is directly integrated with Stake.com through its own hub. This allows users to generate new games daily, explore multiple game categories, play their own creations, and discover games built by the wider community.
SlotGPT is also focusing resources on moderation tools and scaling up its staff of moderators to prevent explicit or inappropriate use of its platform. To date, around 20% of prompts were not generated in order to maintain the integrity of the platform,representing over 5,500 rejected prompts.
The platform dynamically selects from four different slot game types for each generation, ensuring variety and fairness. SlotGPT eliminates several friction points in producing playable slot games, including licensing complexity, technical safeguarding, and subscriptions, enabling true zero-experience creation.
The platform is already working with gaming providers, including 18 Gaming, 1 Ace Studios, and 1 Spin Interactive. Backed by gaming veterans, generative AI leaders, and major industry partners, SlotGPT is forging a new era for personalized casino gaming.
Users can begin creating their own playable slot games here.
About SlotGPT
SlotGPT is a gaming platform developed by a unique mix of software developers, generative AI leaders, and gaming veterans. SlotGPT brings ultimate customization to the player: the player simply imagines anything they want, and with a simple prompt, the power of advanced AI generates a one-of-a-kind gaming experience. This revolution is a first in the gaming industry, bringing the best of generative AI to insert new and creative elements to slots and online gaming. Backed by the biggest gaming companies in the industry, SlotGPT is set to change the online slot experience forever.
The post SlotGPT Introduces Prompt-to-Production Slot Gaming Platform appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
AI
SlotGPT Introduces Prompt-to-Production Slot Gaming Platform
SlotGPT announced the launch of its AI platform that enables players to create production-grade slot games from a single prompt. The platform has already generated nearly 27,000 slot games, and offers users a personalized and accessible way to generate and play their own unique slot games, both for free and real money.
SlotGPT allows players to generate 100% of a game on the platform, including styles, mechanics, visuals, and sound. Each game that passes through SlotGPT’s moderation layer is fully original, including bespoke music and audio produced using advanced generative sound and music engines. The platform has an exclusive pathway to launch games directly on Stake.com, the world’s largest online casino. It is the only platform creating fully launchable slot games on a top-tier global casino from AI prompts, granting creators exposure to millions of players.
SlotGPT’s is directly integrated with Stake.com through its own hub. This allows users to generate new games daily, explore multiple game categories, play their own creations, and discover games built by the wider community.
SlotGPT is also focusing resources on moderation tools and scaling up its staff of moderators to prevent explicit or inappropriate use of its platform. To date, around 20% of prompts were not generated in order to maintain the integrity of the platform,representing over 5,500 rejected prompts.
The platform dynamically selects from four different slot game types for each generation, ensuring variety and fairness. SlotGPT eliminates several friction points in producing playable slot games, including licensing complexity, technical safeguarding, and subscriptions, enabling true zero-experience creation.
The platform is already working with gaming providers, including 18 Gaming, 1 Ace Studios, and 1 Spin Interactive. Backed by gaming veterans, generative AI leaders, and major industry partners, SlotGPT is forging a new era for personalized casino gaming.
Users can begin creating their own playable slot games here.
About SlotGPT
SlotGPT is a gaming platform developed by a unique mix of software developers, generative AI leaders, and gaming veterans. SlotGPT brings ultimate customization to the player: the player simply imagines anything they want, and with a simple prompt, the power of advanced AI generates a one-of-a-kind gaming experience. This revolution is a first in the gaming industry, bringing the best of generative AI to insert new and creative elements to slots and online gaming. Backed by the biggest gaming companies in the industry, SlotGPT is set to change the online slot experience forever.
The post SlotGPT Introduces Prompt-to-Production Slot Gaming Platform appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
AI
EveryMatrix launches Bonus Guardian to stamp out bonus abuse with AI precision
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EveryMatrix has launched Bonus Guardian, a next-generation AI-powered tool designed to help iGaming operators identify and prevent bonus abuse – one of the industry’s most damaging and rapidly-evolving fraud types.
Developed as part of EveryMatrix’s BonusEngine and EngageSuite stack, Bonus Guardian allows operators to maximise ROI on marketing spend by detecting fraudulent player behaviour before it impacts margins.
The solution uses AI and machine learning to continuously analyse player activity, adapt to new abuse tactics, and apply role-based responses such as bonus exclusion and withdrawal holds.
This ensures legitimate players continue to enjoy a seamless experience without restrictions and limitations, while abusers are stopped in their tracks.
Bonus abuse accounts for more than 63% of all detected fraud according to recent industry data. Fraudsters are increasingly using AI, automation, and synthetic identities to exploit promotional offers, while traditional, rule-based systems have struggled to keep pace.
Operators must also maintain friction-free onboarding and engaging rewards to stay competitive.
Bonus Guardian addresses this directly, offering a context-aware solution that can be integrated with operators’ systems, such as payment processing and player account. Unlike generic anti-fraud platforms, it is designed specifically for bonus abuse scenarios.
It continuously learns from real-time player data, reducing manual workload and false positives, helping operators:
- Prevent revenue loss by flagging and stopping bonus abuse early
- Improve segmentation accuracy and player lifetime value
- Reduce operational friction with intelligent, role-based fraud controls
- Futureproof operations against evolving fraud mechanisms such as deepfakes, AI-generated accounts, and coordinated abuse rings
Stian Enger, Head of Casino, EveryMatrix, said: “Everyone in iGaming knows about the battle between fraudsters and anti-fraud prevention tools. Each side wants to get ahead of the other, but with Bonus Guardian, we strongly believe we have a definite edge.
“Bonus Guardian is not just another fraud filter. It is a living shield that adapts to everything that is thrown at it thanks to the power of AI.”
The post EveryMatrix launches Bonus Guardian to stamp out bonus abuse with AI precision appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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