Industry News

IGT Achieves “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality” Designation by Human Rights Campaign Foundation

Published

4 years ago

January 28, 2022

Reading Time: 2 minutes

International Game Technology PLC announced today that it received a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), earning the global company the coveted “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality” designation. The nation’s leading benchmarking survey for LGBTQ+ equality in the workplace, the CEI evaluates corporate policies and practices to measure an employer’s commitment to workplace equality.

IGT joins the ranks of a record-breaking 842 U.S.-based companies to receive a perfect CEI score this year. The educational arm of the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights advocacy group, the HRC Foundation rated businesses on detailed criteria across four central pillars:

Non-discrimination policies across business entities.
Equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ workers and their families.
Supporting an inclusive culture.
Corporate social responsibility.

“IGT earning the HRC Foundation’s ‘Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality’ designation is a reflection of our commitment to provide a workplace culture that is welcoming, equitable and empowering to LGBTQ+ employees across the globe,” said Vincent Sadusky, IGT CEO. “I wish to thank our approximately 11,000 employees worldwide, especially members of PRIDE with IGT, who together with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion embrace and activate IGT’s core values and contributed to this milestone achievement.”

“This designation reinforces that IGT’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is focused on impact,” said Melissa Pursley, IGT Vice President and COO IGT Indiana and Co-Executive Sponsor of PRIDE with IGT. “Many in the LGBTQ+ community still struggle to thrive at work, and as a senior leader at IGT and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I am proud that IGT has taken consistent steps to ensure that this is not the case for our colleagues.”

“When the Human Rights Campaign Foundation created the Corporate Equality Index 20 years ago, we dreamed that LGBTQ+ workers—from the factory floor to corporate headquarters, in big cities and small towns—could have access to the policies and benefits needed to thrive and live life authentically,” said Jay Brown, Human Rights Campaign Senior Vice President of Programs, Research and Training.“We are proud that the Corporate Equality Index paved the way to that reality for countless LGBTQ+ workers in America and abroad. But there is still more to do, which is why we are raising the bar yet again to create more equitable workplaces and a better tomorrow for LGBTQ+ workers everywhere. Congratulations to IGT for achieving the title of ‘Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality’ and working to advance inclusion in the workplace.”

Since 2018, IGT has implemented a range of programs, policy and systems changes, and leading practices that have promoted all dimensions of diversity to make the Company a more attractive and inclusive employer. Some of these actions include:

Introducing gender affirming medical benefits for transgender employees.
Offering competitive benefits for same sex partners, regardless of marital status.
Creating gender neutral restrooms at major IGT campuses.
Implementing more inclusive and equitable hiring processes.
Establishing and supporting PRIDE with IGT, an employee-led and executive-sponsored Diversity and Inclusion Group.
Facilitating both mandatory and elective employee training courses that help support IGT’s diversity, equity, inclusion, sustainability, and anti-harassment commitments.

AI

Tugi Tark whitepaper puts AI iGaming support at €0.15 per ticket

Published

3 days ago

May 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

tugi-tark-whitepaper-puts-ai-igaming-support-at-e0.15-per-ticket

Tugi Tark has released a 2026 whitepaper, The economics of AI-powered iGaming customer support, arguing that AI changes the unit economics of player support and can reduce costs compared with human-led operations.

The report cites “verified pricing” of EUR 0.15 per AI-handled ticket. It compares that with fully loaded employer costs for human support in Romania and Bulgaria of EUR 1.73 to EUR 1.88 per ticket. At a “realistic” 70% AI containment rate, the whitepaper claims a blended cost of about EUR 0.67 per ticket, which it describes as roughly a 64% reduction versus a human-only baseline of EUR 1.88.

Tugi Tark says its analysis draws on Eurostat 2024 labour cost data, published research on AI chatbot benchmarks, independent iGaming player behaviour research, and operational data from its own deployments. The company estimates operators can achieve a 55% to 75% reduction in total support expenditure, and argues AI can absorb volume spikes—such as during major sporting events—without additional hiring or training lag.

Harpo Lilja, founder and CEO of TUgi Tark, said: “In 2026, the ‘wait-and-see’ approach to AI is costing operators millions in unnecessary overhead. We aren’t just talking about chatbots; we’re talking about a fundamental shift in the unit economics of player retention.”

The whitepaper also frames customer support as a retention lever, stating that payment issues account for 52% of ticket volume and that slower response times drive churn. It claims a 0.5 percentage point churn reduction could retain an additional 500 players per month for a mid-sized operator, translating to €200,000 in annual revenue based on an assumed €400 Player Lifetime Value. Tugi Tark also claims AI agents average ~7 seconds for first response versus ~60 seconds for human agents, and outlines use cases across Responsible Gambling escalation, KYC/AML workflows, and GDPR-aligned data sovereignty.

The post Tugi Tark whitepaper puts AI iGaming support at €0.15 per ticket appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Game Development

Games Global outlines May slot roadmap with Snowborn, AreaVegas and Just For The Win

Published

3 days ago

May 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

games-global-outlines-may-slot-roadmap-with-snowborn,-areavegas-and-just-for-the-win

Games Global has published its May content roadmap, highlighting new slot releases from Snowborn Games, AreaVegas Games and Just For The Win, and a continued push to reuse established mechanics across its studio network.

The supplier said Area Link and Power Combo will feature prominently in May’s launches. AreaVegas Games’ Area Link Chilli uses six chilli symbols above the reels tied to bonus modifiers that can trigger individually or together, including cash prizes and fixed jackpots, multipliers, instant collectors and value boosters.

Games Global also pointed to Just For The Win’s Bison Ridge Power Combo, where Link&Win is combined with Power Combo to create what it described as a more varied bonus structure.

Snowborn Games’ Volcanic Fortune is positioned around bonus modifiers such as collectors and multipliers, plus a Treasure Chest meter designed to build towards higher-value bonus outcomes.

David Reynolds, Director of Games Strategy and Partner Management at Games Global, said: “Our studios bring the craft, and May’s roadmap puts that on full display. It’s built around extending global franchises into new titles across our network, which is how we deliver breadth without compromising quality. The result is a pipeline that gives operators choice and players variety.”

The post Games Global outlines May slot roadmap with Snowborn, AreaVegas and Just For The Win appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

charity-lotteries

ZEAL posts 6% Q1 2026 revenue growth as EBITDA dips on investment spend

Published

3 days ago

May 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

zeal-posts-6%-q1-2026-revenue-growth-as-ebitda-dips-on-investment-spend

ZEAL Network SE reported higher first-quarter 2026 revenue despite what it described as a weak jackpot environment, while profitability softened as the company increased investment. Revenue rose 6% year-on-year to €54.3 million (2025: €51.1 million). EBITDA fell to €15.5 million from €17.7 million.

“The first quarter of 2026 shows that we are consistently executing our strategy even in a weak jackpot environment: our core business is growing, and we have continued to invest in diversifying our business model,” says Andrea Behrendt, CFO of ZEAL. “Through targeted investments in new charity lotteries such as the Dream Car Raffle, we are laying the foundation for sustainable growth that is less dependent on jackpot cycles. The slightly lower EBITDA compared to the previous year is primarily a reflection of these measures.”

In the core lottery segment, ZEAL said average monthly active users increased 5% to 1,575 thousand (2025: 1,507 thousand), while new registrations climbed 11% to 274 thousand (2025: 247 thousand). Lottery billings edged up 1% to €268.0 million (2025: €264.7 million). The lottery gross margin improved to 17.8% (2025: 17.1%), with lottery revenue up 5% to €48.7 million (2025: €46.3 million).

ZEAL also used Q1 to prepare a new in-house charity lottery product. The company said it launched the Traumautoverlosung (English name: Dream Car Raffle) on 14 April 2026, its third charity lottery in Germany after freiheit+ and the Dream House Raffle.

In Games, ZEAL reported revenue up 14% to €3.9 million (2025: €3.4 million) after expanding its B2C portfolio to more than 740 titles. ZEAL said higher marketing costs (+13%) and personnel expenses (+21%) reflected continued investment in scaling charity lotteries and Games alongside the core lottery business.

The post ZEAL posts 6% Q1 2026 revenue growth as EBITDA dips on investment spend appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.