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ITL report successful show at VendExpo in Russia

Published

5 years ago

April 2, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Notwithstanding the global situation, VendExpo in Moscow took place last week spanning over three days in the Russian capital. The 14th international exhibition of vending technologies and self-service systems was held at the Expo centre and was one of the first major global exhibitions to take place since the pandemic began last year.

Commenting on ITL’s presence at the show, Georgiy Frolov, Business Development Manager said, “VendExpo was a welcome opportunity to meet up with partners, colleagues and customers given the past year we have all had. Despite the expected reduction in customer traffic compared to previous years, the show was quite successful for us and we had a good number of quality leads, so we predict that overall, the show will produce more potential customers. The team also noticed that both exhibitor and visitor profiles where more varied compared to 2019 suggesting the show is attracting other market sectors beyond vending such as banking and kiosk. Customers from all industries who visited the booth could see the potential for facial recognition and updating their units to improve their recycling capabilities.”

Georgiy continued, “A big success for the region is the adoption of our compact recyclers NV11 Spectral and NV22 Spectral. These are the first choice for Vending applications due to their flexibility and size. Visitors were impressed with their proven ability to maximises cash efficiency and reduce operational costs significantly. It was also great to see some of our more traditional products on other stands such as the BV50, which is used widely across Russia within vending applications.”

“For higher volume, retail applications, customers showed a keen interest in our recycling offerings for both bills and coins using the Spectral Payout and Smart Coin System combination. The Spectral Payout is an 80 note ‘true’ mixed denomination recycler which uses the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) certified NV200 Spectral validator. It gives complete note image capture for exceptional protection against fraudulent and stained notes as well as eliminating change starvation & reducing the note float level required to keep machines operational. This unit combined with the SMART Coin System – a multi-denomination coin recycler, which is now able to work with 1-10 RUB coins – proved to be popular with the visitors.”

Concluding Georgiy said, “This year we also participated in one of the conference programme discussions on self-service innovations. We reviewed ICU, our facial recognition and age verification device, as a part of self-service systems of the future. This was well received and resulted in several discussions and potential partnerships. On the booth ICU was also creating interest with more perspectives of its practical use such as loyalty programs and night clubs. The ICU age verification feature demonstrated on the booth attracted high interest from visitors who sell age-restricted goods and services both in retail and vending sectors as an effective way to automate age checks to ensure compliance. This new era of self-service is fast moving and presents interesting prospects for the future. We look forward to working with customers and partners in the region to explore how our new products and technologies can benefit their businesses.”

Free Ticket Drops

GGPoker Brings Back WSOP Super Circuit with Record $180M Guarantee

Published

4 hours ago

February 24, 2026

Wladimir P.

ggpoker-brings-back-wsop-super-circuit-with-record-$180m-guarantee

GGPoker, the world’s largest online poker platform, is set to host the highly anticipated 2026 WSOP Super Circuit online tournament series, running from March 1 to March 31.

This year’s edition features an unprecedented $180 million in guaranteed prizes, solidifying GGPoker’s reputation as the premier global poker destination.

Players will compete across 18 WSOP Gold Ring events, offering the chance to win one of poker’s most prestigious trophies and significant cash prizes.

Key Events & Highlights:

#5: $525 Mystery Millions [Final Stage] – March 9, $525 buy-in, $10M GTD ($1M Top Bounty)
#13: WSOP Super Circuit MAIN EVENT [Day 2] – March 23, $1,700 buy-in, $15M GTD
#18: GGMillion$ High Roller [Day 2] – March 30, $10K buy-in, $10M GTD

Exclusive Champion Perks
Winners of all 18 Gold Ring events receive:

A $5K WSOP Paradise package
Recognition on the official WSOP Rankings leaderboard

$3 Million in Free Ticket Drops
Participants in any WSOP Super Circuit event can win WSOP Express tickets, $5K Ring Passes, or $10K Bracelet Passes. Tickets will be awarded randomly throughout the series, totaling $3 million in free prizes.

Live Coverage
Final tables for the Main Event (#13) and High Roller (#18) will be streamed live on GGPoker.TV and YouTube, hosted by Jeff Gross, with commentary by Daniel Negreanu for the High Roller.

Player and Ambassador Excitement
Daniel Negreanu said: “The 2026 WSOP Super Circuit at GGPoker is absolutely massive. With $180M in total guarantees, including $15M Main Event and $10M Mystery Millions, it’s the perfect time to compete for record-breaking prizes.”

The post GGPoker Brings Back WSOP Super Circuit with Record $180M Guarantee appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Casino Bonus Features

PopOK Gaming Unveils Macaco Millionario Dual-Grid Slot

Published

5 hours ago

February 24, 2026

Wladimir P.

popok-gaming-unveils-macaco-millionario-dual-grid-slot

PopOK Gaming has launched Macaco Millionario, a vibrant online slot inspired by Chinese symbolism and designed with an innovative double-grid bonus feature.

Rich red and gold visuals, lucky symbols, and a playful Macaco character combine to deliver a visually engaging and rewarding gaming experience.

The game features a 5×3 layout with 30 fixed paylines and two types of Wilds, including Double Wilds that count as two symbols for higher winning potential. The Double Fortune Free Spins round introduces an extra 5×3 reel set, allowing players to spin two grids simultaneously. Wins across both grids trigger multipliers up to x20, and retriggers extend the bonus for bigger payouts.

With a maximum multiplier of x1,732, Macaco Millionario delivers exciting bonus features, including Free Spins, Double Free Spins, Double Win Multipliers, Extra Spins, and a jackpot option. The game offers an RTP of 96.56% and supports bets from EUR 0.02 to EUR 100, fully optimized for web and mobile play. Multi-language support includes English, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, and Hindi.

“Macaco Millionario blends cultural familiarity with a unique bonus structure that delivers thrilling moments in every spin,” said Tsovinar Elchyan, Head of Partnerships at PopOK Gaming. “The double-grid feature sets it apart from traditional slots, offering operators and players something truly innovative.”

The slot is now live and available for integration across all platforms supporting PopOK Gaming content. Operators interested in adding Macaco Millionario to their portfolios can contact PopOK Gaming directly.

The post PopOK Gaming Unveils Macaco Millionario Dual-Grid Slot appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

AI in lottery

Scientific Games Appoints Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering

Published

5 hours ago

February 24, 2026

Wladimir P.

scientific-games-appoints-rich-wasserman-as-senior-vice-president-of-product-engineering

Scientific Games has appointed Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering, reinforcing its commitment to advancing lottery systems technology and digital innovation.

Based in Atlanta, the global lottery provider continues to expand its technology leadership as one of the fastest-growing suppliers of retail and digital lottery solutions worldwide.

Leadership Experience from Amazon, Facebook and Stitch Fix

Wasserman brings more than 20 years of experience leading engineering, data science and product teams across high-performance technology platforms.

He previously held senior leadership roles at:

Amazon
Facebook
Stitch Fix

At Stitch Fix, he served as Vice President of Engineering and Data Science, leading automation, AI-driven systems and platform optimization initiatives. Wasserman holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and a Computer Science degree from the University at Buffalo.

Driving Innovation Across Global Lottery Platforms

In his new role, Wasserman will oversee Product Engineering across Scientific Games’ global portfolio serving more than 150 government-regulated lotteries. His responsibilities include advancing:

Retail lottery systems
Digital lottery platforms
Hardware and software innovation
Data analytics and AI capabilities
Consumer engagement technologies

CEO Pat McHugh stated that Wasserman’s experience scaling AI-powered platforms at world-class technology firms will help accelerate innovation and deliver next-generation lottery solutions focused on sustainable growth.

Strengthening Lottery Technology Leadership

Scientific Games continues to invest in technology, analytics and digital transformation to enhance consumer experiences across retail and online lottery channels. The appointment underscores the company’s strategy to integrate advanced analytics and machine learning into its global lottery ecosystem.

The post Scientific Games Appoints Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.