Latest News
FACEIT’s AI admin tackling toxic behaviour learns to detect verbal toxicity and mic spam
FACEIT, the makers of Minerva, the first artificial intelligence powered admin, can reveal her upgraded capabilities in the fight against toxic behaviour in competitive games. Minerva can now hear and is able to understand voice messages in all languages. Detecting toxic behaviour on voice chat including verbal toxicity and mic spam.
- Last year FACEIT embarked on a journey to reduce toxic behaviour in online multiplayer games by releasing Minerva, an artificial intelligence powered admin, able to detect and take action against toxic messages at infinite scale. According to surveys of FACEIT users, anti-toxicity solutions were one of the most requested features.
- Since launch she has:
- Analysed more than 1.4bn chat messages
- Detected more than 1.9 million toxic messages and issues warnings
- Banned over 100k players
- As a result, the FACEIT platform has seen:
- 21% fewer toxic messages sent
- 62% reduction in seriously offensive messages being sent
- The first iteration of Minerva began by analysing thousands of text chat messages to detect abusive language and toxic behaviour, but there were other forms of toxicity relating to gameplay she was unable to detect including; players acting as obstacles for teammates, staying AFK, deliberate friendly fire, blocking, griefing and potential offensive and abusive language via voice channels
- To detect and take action against negative behaviours in gameplay, FACEIT launched Justice, a community-driven portal, that thanks to the endless effort of many members of the community, has managed to resolve more than 60,000 cases, issuing almost 30,000 punishments since it’s launch in April.
- The FACEIT community also fed back that text detection didn’t go far enough thus prompting the development in Minerva’s ability to listen. Now she is able to analyse audio sources of data and detect two different types of potential abuse: toxic verbal messages and microphone spamming.
- Minerva is able to analyse full conversations among players during a match. An important aspect that makes the overall process more reliable and less prone to misleading interpretations that could come out by analyzing single and isolated messages.
- In addition to detecting potential toxic voice messages Minerva is able to detect and sanction other forms of repetitive annoying user behaviours and sounds, which could worsen their teammates’ ability to concentrate and make the overall experience less enjoyable such as screaming or excessively loud music. To achieve this, Minerva reviews the audio file of the match and by applying a CNN (Convolutional Neural Network) technology, she can recognise a series of negative behaviours and issue either a warning or a ban in case the player has been caught multiple times.
To find out more about Minerva please head to https://fce.gg/minerva-gets-ears
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BIS
Legality of Brazil’s betting platforms to be a central theme at BiS Brasília
Betting sector moves forward amid regulatory debate and reinforces the need for clear rules and a safe environment in Brazil
The advancement of sports betting regulation in Brazil has placed the sector at the center of important discussions regarding legal certainty, tax revenue, and economic development.
Amid recent debates over possible market restrictions, the postponement of new projects such as the launch of Caixa Econômica Federal’s betting platform, and the ban on prediction markets, specialists continue to emphasize the importance of consolidating a regulated, transparent, and sustainable environment for the industry.
More than just a trend, the legalized betting market is increasingly being viewed as a strategic opportunity for the country, with the potential to generate jobs, attract international investment, and significantly boost public revenue.
Regulation is also seen as an essential path toward ensuring consumer protection and combating informality.
In this context, BiS Brasília, confirmed to take place on June 2 and 3, positions itself as the leading discussion forum for the sector in Latin America.
The event will bring together authorities, operators, regulators, and experts to debate the future of the industry at what is considered a decisive moment for its consolidation in Brazil.
“It is not simply about allowing or banning betting, but about how to structure a responsible market that creates value for the entire chain—from operators to consumers—while remaining under effective public oversight,” said Alessandro Valente, chairman of BiS Brasília.
“Legality brings predictability, attracts serious companies, and creates more effective control and enforcement mechanisms.”
Another key point is the role of regulation in promoting responsible gaming. With clear rules in place, it becomes possible to implement stronger policies to prevent risky behavior, while also ensuring greater transparency in operations.
“Brazil has the opportunity to build one of the most relevant regulated markets in the world. Events such as BiS are essential to align expectations, share international best practices, and accelerate this process responsibly,” he added.
Held in Brasília, the center of the country’s main political and economic decisions, the meeting reinforces its strategic role by bringing together the different stakeholders involved in shaping this new scenario.
Expectations are that this edition will go down in history as a milestone in the maturing debate over the legality of betting in Brazil.
BiS Brasília
Now in its second edition, BiS Brasília is an iGaming and betting industry event dedicated to fostering dialogue between the private sector, government authorities, and society on the development of the regulated gaming, casino, and lottery market in Brazil.
Held in the federal capital, the event gathers business leaders, authorities, and experts to discuss strategic topics such as regulation, integrity, innovation, taxation, and responsible gaming.
BiS SiGMA South America is part of the SiGMA World group’s portfolio of events, a global leading brand in organizing B2B events and a business platform for the gaming and betting ecosystem worldwide.
The post Legality of Brazil’s betting platforms to be a central theme at BiS Brasília appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
iGaming
PokerStars sets $50m+ guaranteed Anniversary Series for May 10–June 3
Online festival spans 461 tournaments and includes three Main Events on May 24 plus a $500,000 GTD Sunday Storm PKO final on May 10.
PokerStars will run an online Anniversary Series with more than $50m in guarantees from May 10 to June 3, 2026, the operator said on April 27. The schedule includes 461 tournaments and is positioned to mark PokerStars’ 25th anniversary, alongside the 15-year milestone for Sunday Storm.
The festival’s buy-ins range from $5.50 to $15,000, with qualifiers starting at $0.55, according to the company. PokerStars said it will also distribute more than $650,000 in Anniversary Series Lucky Dip tickets during the series.
PokerStars is headlining the series with three Main Events on May 24:
- a $109 tournament with a $1.5m guarantee,
- a $1,050 Main Event with a $2.5m guarantee,
- and a $5,200 Main Event with a $2m guarantee.
Weekly Sunday events include Sunday Million, Sunday High Rollers, and Mystery Bounty specials, with Second Chance Main Events (PKO) scheduled for May 31.
The operator is also running a Sunday Storm 15th anniversary Progressive Knockout tournament with a $500,000 guarantee for an $11 buy-in. Phase 1 events are underway, with Phase 2 set for May 10.
“We’re proud to celebrate 25 years of PokerStars bringing big money poker tournaments safely to players around the world,” said Steve Clarricoats, Associate Director of Online Scheduling. “Putting $50 million up in guarantees shows our focus remains on bringing the best of PokerStars to more players in a variety of tournaments.”
More relevant data as follows:
- PokerStars: https://www.pokerstars.com/ Official operator site for tournament schedule and eligibility by market.
- PokerStars Blog: https://www.pokerstars.com/poker/news/ Company’s news hub where the full Anniversary Series details and formats are typically published.
- PokerStars Power Path: https://www.pokerstars.com/poker/promotions/power-path/ Source for information on the $0.50+ qualification routes referenced in the announcement.
The post PokerStars sets $50m+ guaranteed Anniversary Series for May 10–June 3 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Conferences
Alea shortlisted for two SBC Awards Europe categories
The supplier is nominated for Game Aggregator of the Year and Employer of the Year ahead of SBC Summit Malta on April 29.
Alea has been named a finalist in two categories at the upcoming SBC Awards Europe: Game Aggregator of the Year and Employer of the Year. The company announced the nominations on April 28 from Barcelona.
Founder Alexandre Tomic said the double shortlisting reflects a link between product delivery and company culture. “If people don’t care about what they’re building, it shows immediately. In the product, in the details, everywhere. Reliability can’t be bolted on later, it’s a consequence of that care.”
“We’ve spent years building a team that takes ownership and holds a certain standard. Seeing both nominations together just tells me we’re doing something right.” Tomic added.
The news comes ahead of SBC Summit Malta, where Alea said Tomic and COO Ramon Glieneke will take part in conference sessions on April 29. Tomic is scheduled to appear on “Casino vs Sports: Can Gamification Truly Cross Over?” while Glieneke is due to join “The COO Horizon: Challenges and Opportunities in 2026/27.”
Alea said its wider team will be onsite throughout the summit at Booth D22.
More relevand data as follows:
- SBC Awards: https://sbcevents.com/sbc-awards/ Primary source for the awards programme, categories and shortlisted companies.
- SBC Summit Malta: https://sbcevents.com/sbc-summit-malta/ Event page for agenda context and verification of sessions and timing.
- Alea: https://alea.com/ Company website for background on the supplier and its product offering.
The post Alea shortlisted for two SBC Awards Europe categories appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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