Latest News

FACEIT’s AI admin tackling toxic behaviour learns to detect verbal toxicity and mic spam

Published

5 years ago

December 16, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

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

BETANO

Betano signs sponsorship deal with Argentina national football team

Published

3 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Wladimir P.

betano-signs-sponsorship-deal-with-argentina-national-football-team

Kaizen Gaming brand becomes an Official Regional Sponsor as World Cup 2026 approaches, with campaigns planned across digital, TV and OOH.

Betano has signed a new sponsorship agreement with the Argentina National Football Team, joining as an Official Regional Sponsor, the company said on April 29, 2026.

The deal was announced from Athens, Greece and Buenos Aires, Argentina, with the Kaizen Gaming-owned sports betting and gaming brand positioning the partnership ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

According to the company, the sponsorship will include “local 360° campaigns” featuring Betano’s tagline “Confiá” across digital media, television, and out-of-home (OOH) advertising. Betano also said it plans “high-engagement activations” intended to connect fans with the team.

In the release, Kaizen Gaming framed the agreement as part of a broader strategy to invest in top-tier sports partnerships to support international brand growth and “responsible gaming experiences.” Financial terms, territories covered under the “regional” designation, and contract duration were not disclosed.

More relevant data as follows:

Betano (Kaizen Gaming) official website; https://www.betano.com/ Primary source for brand and market presence details related to Betano.
Kaizen Gaming official website; https://kaizengaming.com/ Company background and corporate announcements for Kaizen Gaming, the owner of Betano.
AFA (Argentine Football Association) official website; https://www.afa.com.ar/ Authoritative reference for Argentina national team commercial partnerships and federation announcements.
FIFA World Cup 2026; https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canada-mexico-usa2026 Official tournament page to ground the timing reference to the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The post Betano signs sponsorship deal with Argentina national football team appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

EPT

PokerStars adds PokerStars Open Aix-en-Provence and confirms EPT Prague for 2026

Published

3 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Wladimir P.

pokerstars-adds-pokerstars-open-aix-en-provence-and-confirms-ept-prague-for-2026

New France stop runs Nov 2-8; EPT Prague returns to the Hilton Prague on Dec 2-13, both counting toward the PokerStars Live League.

PokerStars has added two stops to its 2026 live poker calendar: EPT Prague returns on Dec 2-13 at the Hilton Prague, and a new PokerStars Open event will debut in Aix-en-Provence, France, on Nov 2-8. The operator announced the dates on April 22, 2026.

Both events will award points in the PokerStars Live League, PokerStars’ annual leaderboard system across High, Medium, and Low tiers. PokerStars said more than €150,000 in PokerStars LIVE credit will be paid out to the top three finishers in each tier at year-end, plus a live freeroll with a €100,000 prize pool at the first EPT of 2027 for the top 30 finishers in each tier.

EPT Prague is set to run as an 11-day festival, with PokerStars flagging the High Roller and EPT Main Event among the headline tournaments. PokerStars cited last year’s Prague Main Event at more than 1,200 entries for a prize pool of more than €5.9 million, with Matan Krakow winning for more than €770,000.

The new PokerStars Open Aix-en-Provence stop will run in partnership with Texapoker at Pasino GRAND Partouche Aix-en-Provence. It becomes the latest confirmed date in PokerStars’ 2026 live lineup, which also includes EPT Monte Carlo (April 30 – May 10), PokerStars Open Namur (May 27 – June 7), PokerStars Open Malaga (June 22-28), and EPT Barcelona (August 16-29).

“We’re delighted to bring players two more incredible live events and welcome the return of EPT Prague,” said Cédric Billot, Associate Director, Live Events. ”Each stop offers a unique experience and world-class competition and strengthens an already exciting 2026 schedule. We look forward to welcoming everyone for another standout year of live poker.”

More relevant data as follows:

PokerStars Live; https://www.pokerstarslive.com/ Official schedule and event information source referenced in the announcement.
PokerStars blog; https://www.pokerstars.com/poker/learn/news/ PokerStars’ news hub cited for additional details on live events and updates.
European Poker Tour (EPT) – PokerStars Live; https://www.pokerstarslive.com/ept Background and official overview of the EPT brand and tour stops mentioned in the release

The post PokerStars adds PokerStars Open Aix-en-Provence and confirms EPT Prague for 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Latest News

Betano Teams Up with World Champions Argentina in New Sponsorship Deal

Published

3 hours ago

April 29, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

betano-teams-up-with-world-champions-argentina-in-new-sponsorship-deal

Betano joins the Argentina National Football Team as Official Regional Sponsor ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026

Betano, the premium online sports betting and gaming brand of Kaizen Gaming, is an Official Regional Sponsor of the Argentine National Football Team, further highlighting its commitment to supporting Argentine sport.

The sponsorship agreement comes at a time of increased global anticipation for the game, just weeks before the FIFA World Cup 2026. Through this partnership, Betano is strengthening its ties with Argentine football and together with the country’s National Team, will deploy high-engagement activations that bring the fans closer to the game.

Argentina, the reigning world champions and one of the most iconic footballing nations, hold three World Cup titles and 47 major tournament wins and are supported by an expansive international fanbase. By reinforcing its presence in this legendary footballing stronghold, Betano continues to elevate its brand profile, integrating it into the elite of global sport. The partnership with the National Football Team of Argentina also reflects Kaizen Gaming’s broader strategy to invest in top-tier sports collaborations that drive international brand growth, while delivering innovative and responsible gaming experiences to millions of users worldwide.

The scope of this sponsorship will include local 360° campaigns that feature Betano’s tagline “Confiá” in digital media, television, and out-of-home (OOH) advertising.

Football is a global language, and few teams and countries embody its passion and legacy like Argentina. This partnership is a natural step for Kaizen Gaming and the Betano brand, deepening their presence at the heart of the sport and connecting with fans in moments that matter most. As anticipation for the FIFA World Cup 2026 continues to build, this collaboration positions Betano centre-stage in the football conversation. Ahead of what promises to be a thrilling tournament, Kaizen Gaming remains focused on expanding its international reach, investing in strategic partnerships, and building meaningful connections with fans worldwide.

The post Betano Teams Up with World Champions Argentina in New Sponsorship Deal appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.