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The Pinball and Modern Art Museum “Dino Merluzzi” A SPACE WHERE CULTURE, EDUCATION AND ENTERTAINMENT MEET
A space where culture, education and entertainment meet. All of this is enclosed in the “Dino Merluzzi” Pinball and Modern Art Museum, which celebrates its debut on Saturday, February, the 18th, in an official ceremony crowned by the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and the Umbria Region. The Museum is dedicated Dino Merluzzi, one of the first Italians collector of vintage gaming machines, nurturing the dream of being able to put them in a museum one day. Today that dream is being realized by the Ifpa Italia Association, in cooperation with the Municipality of Terni, the Marmore turist office and the ARCI of Terni, which thanks to the contribution of the Fondazione Carit, has managed to make the Pinball and modern ant museum real, dedicated to the passed away collector from Terni, in the spaces of the former elementary school of Marmore, in Via Montesi 59.
Today, the Museum is a unique place in Italy and aims to perform various functions, in the cultural, educational and recreational fields. Promising to obtain a role of attraction at national and international level, since it is in an already tourist context such as that of the Marmore Falls, going to be one more reason to go to this wonderful place, contributing to the further enhancement of the territory.
From a cultural point of view, it is a real museum of modern art, able to offer a series of pinball machines from different eras: from the very first examples of the 1950s to the current ones of our times, covering all the different eras that have occured (60s and 70s electo-mechanical ones, 80s and 90s electronic ones, modern, 2000s), in a thematic itinerary in which set the technological progress that has taken place over the last seventy years, describing in detail the change of the customs and traditions of society during the same period, described through the settings of pinball machines and other material of the time proposed together with the gaming machines (posters, window decals, records, books, vintage juke boxes and various vintage material). In addition to offering old movies on the history of the pinball machine.
From an educational point of view, the Museum offers a permanent location that aims to become a point of reference for schools and institutes in the area (and beyond), for a real and concrete approach to understanding science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Creating a “EduFun” program that would provide an exciting opportunity for teachers, students and various stakeholders to look at the inner operation of real, working pinball machines and learn how thousands of files and of electronic and mechanical parts work together to create complex electromechanical systems.
From a recreational and social point of view, the Museum offers a permanent location for organizing entertainment events, which perfectly fit with the tourist destination of the area. Also hosting international pinball tournaments, through the permanent activity of Ifpa Italia. All this in order to exploit the unique power of the pinball machine, which is one of the few games capable of being used by both children and the elderly people, belonging to practically any era.
Over 25 amusement machines are inside the building, including pinball machines, juke boxes and various types of vintage games, together with other collector’s items, including rare ones. But the permanent collection will be continuously enriched and updated thanks to loans and donations. The Museum is a non-profit one and even the recreational activities do not require payment for the game to play, but can be freely tested by visitors. It is therefore an ideal location for families and for any type of user. The entrance is totally free, by reservation only. The facility is temporarily not open to the public.
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE MUSEUM
The museum is spread over a total area of over 260 square meters, located on the first floor of the building of the former Marmore elementary school. The structure consists of six different rooms, thematically organized.
The first is the “Electromechanical Room”, dedicated to these games, hosting pinball machines from the 60s and 70s and other vintage games (such as Rotamint and Rotomat and other automatic games).
The second, which represents the main room, is the “Electronic Room”. Here you can find over 15 games from the 70s to the 2000s, with some collector’s items.
The third is the “Projection and Conference Room”, where there is a multifunctional space used as a cinema and conference center, where movies, documentary or historical movies, presentations, debates and various activities are held.
In the “Arcade Space” there are some video games from the 80s and 90s, available to the visitors of the Museum.
The Museum is also equipped with a “Restoration Room”, located next to the Electromechanical Room, where repairs and maintenance of individual devices are carried out.
While in the “warehouse room” games and various materials are kept for future installations and updates of the permanent collection.
All the games shown in the Museum are fully working and can be evaluated in terms of their game dynamics. The venue does not pursue any profit: it is not a game room or a private club and does not require the payment of any ticket.
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Eastern Europe
Totogaming Joins Cernica Pantelimon RunFest: Not Just Present, But Fully Participating
“We weren’t just present — we were participants of Runfest. And that’s one of the most important aspects,” said Artak Ashkhatoyan, Deputy CEO of Totogaming.
On July 6, Totogaming joined the Cernica Pantelimon Runfest in Romania, once again emphasizing the importance of promoting amateur sports and a healthy lifestyle.
“Supporting such initiatives is a priority for TotoGaming. First, 50% of the proceeds from RunFest will be donated to the CLOVES Romania Foundation, supporting children affected by CLOVES Syndrome. And second, we’ve always believed in showing our passion for sports through actions, not just words. Have you noticed how we’re constantly rushing through life, yet when we look back, it often feels like we haven’t moved at all? It’s important for us to lead by example and show the importance of participation. This is exactly the message we’re promoting through our team’s active involvement in the marathon. After all, there can never be too much sport in our lives,” said TotoGaming’s Deputy CEO, Artak Ashkhatoyan.
A Simple Concept, a Powerful Impact
The concept of this sports event is straightforward: choose a distance between 1 to 21 kilometers and run. The goal? Make sport an integral part of everyday life. The crowd certainly embraced that, gathering as early as 8:30 a.m. — on a Sunday morning.
Totogaming contributed in two distinct capacities: as an official sponsor and as an active participant. A dedicated team of 13 employees represented the company at the Cernica Pantelimon RunFest, with 7 of them proudly taking part as runners.
More Than Just a Run
It wasn’t an easy challenge — especially because among Totogaming’s runners were people for whom running isn’t a daily habit, or even part of their life at all. Yet they couldn’t miss the opportunity, not least from the perspective of corporate responsibility.
“We just finished the 7.5-kilometer race!” shared Petrut-Adrian Toea from the Totogaming team.
“It was amazing, honestly. Around the 2-kilometer mark, I had this little battle with myself — I told myself I had to finish the race, no matter what. And I did it! I came in around 60th place out of over 100 runners, which for me is a really good result.”
“I see my participation as a small contribution toward promoting a healthy lifestyle. In my close circle, everyone knows I’m not exactly the sporty type. I’m not athletic, and I usually prefer having fun in other ways. But showing up here, early in the morning, in this intense heat, and completing almost 8 kilometers with just one short break — I think it set a good example.”
“I hope seeing someone like me finish this challenge motivates my friends to try something similar for their own health. I believe that’s a meaningful contribution”, – added Petrut-Andrea.
Totogaming also made it possible for every attendee to bring sport into their lives — quite literally. At the Totogaming tent, participants could ride stationary bikes and receive prizes based on the number of points they earned through their efforts.
Whether they were running, cycling, or simply cheering for friends, the goal for everyone was the same: to reach the destination of champions — by bringing sport into everyday life.
The post Totogaming Joins Cernica Pantelimon RunFest: Not Just Present, But Fully Participating appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
BMM Testlabs, the world’s original gaming test lab renowned for exceptional product compliance and certification services, today announced the promotion of Sacha McLaughlin to Vice President of Global Quality Assurance.
BMM’s President of Land-Based Gaming & Inspections, Kirk White, said, “Sacha has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, operational excellence, and a customer-first attitude. Her experience and passion will be critical as we continue to grow our QA services to meet the always-evolving needs of the global gaming industry.”
With over 18 years of experience in software implementation and seven years in the gaming industry, McLaughlin brings extensive knowledge of both agile and waterfall development methodologies, test planning, project management, and cross-regional team leadership. She is recognized for her ability to build and scale QA organizations that deliver quality, speed, and value to customers.
McLaughlin joined BMM in 2018 and has held roles of increasing responsibility within the Company, most recently serving as Senior Director of Quality Assurance. Throughout her tenure, she has been instrumental in expanding BMM’s QA capabilities and helping customers launch products into the global gaming market more quickly, with a focus on regulatory compliance, functionality, fairness, and security.
The post BMM TESTLABS PROMOTES SACHA MCLAUGHLIN TO VICE PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL QUALITY ASSURANCE appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Major findings from the newly launched report include playable ads having the potential to deliver impression-to-install rates 16 times that of non-playable formats for emerging gaming apps and a 20% increase in spending on interactive ads year over year.
Liftoff, a leading AI-enabled growth platform for the mobile app economy, has published its seventh annual Mobile Ad Creative Index. The report explores top creative trends that are attracting and scaling in ad spend across consumer apps and games. It also highlights the expanding role of AI in creative production, testing, and optimization.
This year’s Mobile Ad Creative Index specifically analyzes creative concepts that have excelled in scale for Liftoff’s highest-spending advertisers over the past 12 to 48 months. It is based on findings from over 4.7 trillion impressions, 263 billion clicks, and 1.1 billion installs between 1 January 2023 and 31 May 2025.
Highlights from the report include:
Top consumer apps are investing in interactive ads to compete for engagement
In 2024, the share of spend on interactive ads for top apps increased by 20% year over year. The share of spend increased by 2% for spenders outside the top tier. Top-spending apps differentiate their campaigns by adding innovations to evergreen concepts such as social scrollers, carousels, and scratch-offs.
Playable ads deliver returns across ad budgets for mobile game advertisers
In 2024, the share of spend on playable ads for top games averaged 35% higher than other games. Across all ad budgets, however, playable ads delivered higher conversion rates. Impression-to-install rates were 8 times that of non-playable formats for top spenders and 16 times that of non-playable formats for other game advertisers.
Tailoring “metaplay” elements to motivations can improve performance
“Metaplay” elements—gameplay that diverges from an app’s core design to appeal to a broader audience—are widespread, but top games gain an edge by tailoring their metaplay ads to the publisher audience. The report found that aligning “metaplay” creative with publisher audiences resulted in a 93% increase in installs-per-mille.
UGC is becoming a key differentiator in driving scale for consumer apps
The share of spend on user-generated content (UGC) increased 11% for top-spending apps, with social and utility apps seeing the most significant jump of nearly 30% between 2023 and 2024.
Widespread adoption of Gen AI leads to more customized ad experiences
Creative teams increasingly leverage AI to enhance top-performing assets with 3D and motion and to create and test variations. Top advertisers also use AI to recombine their assets in customized ad experiences that break away from standard video to playable formats.
Yann Zeller, Chief of Staff, Creative at Liftoff, said: “Today’s creative landscape is shaped by a single, powerful truth: attention is the commodity, and brands, games, and influencers are all vying for it. Great mobile ad experiences can earn attention by aligning context with behavior. As ad formats become richer and AI expands our ability to personalize and adapt creatives at scale, we’re able to unlock new insights into user behavior and motivation. We see users spend meaningful stretches with the right content, sometimes 60 to 90 seconds when the ad feels personal or prompts meaningful participation. This isn’t just a better way to advertise—it’s a better way to tell stories and the most exciting brief we’ve had in years.”
Soren Steelquist, Director of Creative Production, said: “The proof is in the data—more and more consumer apps are incorporating UGC into every stage of their marketing, and programmatic is no different. UGC works because it’s authentic and relatable, and users are more likely to be influenced by ad when it’s coming from a trustworthy source. To see higher impact from UGC creatives, work with a partner that can match the right creator with your brand and develop winning concepts that resonate with audiences.”
The post Liftoff’s 2025 Mobile Ad Creative Index Reveals UGC Is a Key Differentiator for Top Apps appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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