Latest News
McLaren Shadow Project Middle-East Finals at The Avenues Bahrain
Reading Time: 3 minutes
- Live finals to be held on 23 November at The Avenues, Bahrain with 16 contestants competing for a chance to represent the Middle East in the McLaren Shadow Project world finals
- An entire week-end of fun for families and friends
- A chance to play against and learn from professional champion Olli Pahkala from McLaren Shadow F1 esports team
The countdown to the Middle-East finals of the McLaren Shadow Project is well underway as 16 esports hopefuls prepare to battle on 23 November for the chance to represent the region in the 2019 world finals at the McLaren Technology Centre in the UK in January 2019. The winner of the McLaren Shadow Project championship will get a seat in the team’s new F1 esports team and join the McLaren esports development programme where they will hone their skills and work with the McLaren F1 team.
Launched in July 2018, Shadow Project Middle-East is the result of a dynamic partnership between Bahrain-based Atyaf e-Racing, McLaren and UK-based motorsport agency MPA Creative to discover the Middle East’s next eracing star.
The event will be run from Thursday, 22 November until Saturday, 24 November at The Avenues Bahrain, Gate 3.
Olli Pahkala, a relative “veteran” of the esports scene, has become one of its most prominent figures after finishing third in the prestigious 2014-2016 iRacing World Championship Grand Prix Series before earning a semi-final spot in the 2017 Visa Vegas eRace. He will be available to meet visitors and share his expertise and experience in the world of sim racing.
“We are excited to see the first Shadow Project event come to life here in Bahrain,” said Dr Mohamed Ahmed Jumaan, Co-Founder and Director of Atyaf e-sports. “We have a long-term plan for this programme and together with our partners McLaren we are keen to see this grow around the region. We will also be following our winner through the competition in the UK and will promote his experience to our local enthusiasts to encourage participation in future activities and maybe find a star of the future!”
Atyaf e-Racing has also planned a number of fun activities for the public: a retro-gaming display will enable parents and kids to discover the world of gaming from early games such as Super Mario Kart, and various old consoles and TV sets. There will also be a free-to-play area where visitors can practice their skills on Xbox One and Forza Motorsport 7.
On Saturday, the main stage will open to the public, enabling friends and families to compete against one another in mini racing tournaments.
Last, but not least, a specially imported road safety simulator will provide insight and education into safe driving behaviour through virtual reality practice.
Dr. Mohamed also wanted to express his appreciation for the support this event has received from Tamkeen, Gulf Air, DHL and from the many technology suppliers present at the event.
About McLaren Shadow Project
‘McLaren Shadow Project’ is a virtual racing programme that shadows McLaren’s real world. The champion of McLaren Shadow Project 2018 will win a place on the new McLaren esports team and go on to race online against the best teams in the world. The winner will also win access to the McLaren esports development programme,.
About TIG Holdings
TIG Holding WLL is a Bahrain-based group investing in technology ventures. It is notably active in TV and Home Entertainment services, web application development and has recently entered the esports arena through a dedicated subsidiary Atyaf e-sports.
About MPA
Founded in 1984 by Jonathan Gill and Jeremy Clarkson, Motoring Press Agency (MPA) is an award-winning agency providing motorsport media, PR, communications and management services. MPA Creative in its existing form was founded by Deborah Tee in 2008 before expanding to include MPA Commercial in 2015 as a ‘sister’ agency with the arrival of former Haymarket Motorsport Director Ian Burrows and former IMG and MSV business development manager Daniel Bailey.
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network

Latest News
Faster Guest Entry at Korea’s INSPIRE Entertainment Resort’s Casino, Powered by Regula’s Technology
International guests arriving at South Korea’s largest foreigner-only casino, INSPIRE Entertainment Resort, now enjoy a significantly faster and more seamless check-in experience. Customer onboarding times have noticeably improved following the integration of Regula’s advanced identity verification technology. Regula Document Reader SDK, the most comprehensive ID verification solution in the world, integrates with the resort’s anti-money laundering (AML) procedures, boosting operational efficiency and compliance.
Seeking to enhance operational efficiency and meet evolving AML requirements, INSPIRE Entertainment Resort sought a faster and more accurate solution. The resort, which features a high-volume casino catering exclusively to foreign guests, needed a system capable of recognizing passports from around the globe with minimal friction.
Following vendor evaluations, INSPIRE selected Regula Document Reader SDK for its superior document reading speed, intuitive interface, and unmatched global ID coverage. Regula’s solution is powered by the company’s proprietary ID template database—the world’s largest—covering 15,000+ document templates across 254 countries and territories.
Deployed across six entrance stations, Regula Document Reader SDK enables real-time extraction and validation of critical ID data, such as name, date of birth, nationality, and passport number. This data is then passed directly to INSPIRE’s AML system, which in turn performs automated screening against external compliance and watchlist databases.
Since deploying Regula Document Reader SDK, INSPIRE Entertainment Resort casino has experienced:
- Faster document processing and guest entry.
- Significant reduction in manual rescans and staff workload.
- Consistently smooth onboarding, even during peak entry hours.
“As the team responsible for passport scanning at the casino, we’re very satisfied with the improvements Regula has brought. The speed of document processing has noticeably increased, and guest entry has become much smoother. It’s a reliable solution that has elevated the efficiency of our daily operations,” says Dr. Ilnam Lee, IT Director at INSPIRE Entertainment Resort.
“In industries like hospitality, every second counts. We’re happy to support INSPIRE Entertainment Resort in creating a faster and more secure guest onboarding experience while meeting strict AML requirements. Our focus is to make accurate identity verification seamless, even in complex international scenarios, and this project is a great example of that in action,” says Ihar Kliashchou, Chief Technology Officer at Regula.
The post Faster Guest Entry at Korea’s INSPIRE Entertainment Resort’s Casino, Powered by Regula’s Technology appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
Make-A-Wish® International Launches Infinite Wishes Initiative to Inspire Hope Through the Power of Gaming
Make-A-Wish® International, the world’s leading wish-granting organization, has announced the launch of its Infinite Wishes Initiative, a global programme aimed at uniting the video games industry to help grant life-changing wishes for children living with critical illnesses.
Launched in response to a dramatic rise in gaming-related wishes – ranging from building custom PCs to meeting developers or creating custom skins – Infinite Wishes provides a flexible, inclusive framework for the industry to make a meaningful impact, no matter an organization’s size or budget. With tiered partnership levels and non-financial participation options, companies can get involved in ways that align with their goals and resources.
April Stallings, Charitable Gaming and Creators Community Manager at Make-A-Wish International, commented:
“Infinite Wishes is about creating pathways for the games industry to do great things, whether that’s funding wishes, hosting a livestream, or simply sparking a new idea for impact. We know how passionate and talented this community is. This initiative is about giving teams a purpose-driven outlet to rally around – one that lifts spirits, sparks creativity, and changes lives.”
To help shape and guide the programme, Make-A-Wish International has assembled a Games Industry Advisory Committee made up of leaders and experts across the sector. Going into its second year, the committee includes representatives from Square Enix, Bethesda, Bandai Namco Entertainment, Raccoon Logic, 2K, Deviant Legal, Modoyo, Stream for a Cause, and Dames4Games.
Wouter Van Vugt, EMEA Communications & Community Engagement Senior Director at Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe and Chair of the Make-A-Wish Games Industry Advisory Committee, added:
“There’s never been a better time for the games industry to show its heart. Through Infinite Wishes, our industry has the opportunity to channel our collective goodwill and reach into something that delivers lasting, real-world impact for children who need it most. The opportunity to help fulfil a child’s wish is one of the most powerful things we can offer.”
Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted over 615,000 wishes globally. In 2024 alone, the international network granted more than 16,000 wishes, with gaming playing a growing role in the wish journey of many children. The Infinite Wishes initiative reflects Make-A-Wish International’s commitment to expanding its impact through new and innovative partnerships with the gaming community.
Inaugural members of the Infinite Wishes Initiative include Raptor PR and PlaySafe ID.
The post Make-A-Wish® International Launches Infinite Wishes Initiative to Inspire Hope Through the Power of Gaming appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
AI-powered iGaming customer service firm Tugi Tark signs strategic partnership agreement with WebPrefer
The partnership will deliver smarter support for iGaming operators, including multilingual support, regulatory compliance, and elevated player experiences
Tugi Tark today announces a strategic partnership with WebPrefer, the Swedish software company behind the Wepam iGaming platform. The collaboration brings Tugi Tark’s AI-powered support software into WebPrefer’s core technology, offering iGaming operators a fully integrated solution for modern customer service.
As the iGaming industry faces increasing demand for multilingual support, regulatory compliance, and elevated player experiences, the integration of Tugi Tark’s AI-powered customer service software directly into the Wepam Player Account Management (PAM) system offers operators an innovative edge. This solution enables faster, smarter, and more scalable player support across markets.
WebPrefer’s Wepam platform is built with adaptability in mind, supporting multi-brand operations, CRM, rewards, responsible gaming, and real-time monitoring. By integrating Tugi Tark’s customer support software directly into its PAM system, WebPrefer delivers a plug-and-play solution for iGaming operators.
Harpo Lilja, CEO of Tugi Tark, said: “We are thrilled to partner with WebPrefer to bring smarter support to the iGaming world.This collaboration underscores our shared commitment to help operators create deeper connections with their players through AI-enhanced support.”
Mikael Lindberg Castell, Founder & CEO of WebPrefer, said: “Implementing Tugi Tark’s AI Agent support tool into our own PAM solution was a no-brainer for us. Assisting end users is fundamental to any business, and together with Tugi Tark we can now present a complete solution for iGaming operators. This partnership is one more way we’re making player care faster, smarter, and at scale.”
This partnership marks a significant milestone in both companies’ missions to modernize iGaming support and operational strategy. The integrated system is customizable, fast to deploy, and designed with regulatory frameworks in mind, ideal for operators scaling across brands, geographies, and languages.
The post AI-powered iGaming customer service firm Tugi Tark signs strategic partnership agreement with WebPrefer appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Latest News3 months ago
LEGENDS by Fire & Ice: July 1st at The BOX Soho
-
Latest News3 months ago
S8UL acquires North America’s leading Mobile Legends: Bang Bang roster ahead of Esports World Cup 2025
-
Latest News2 months ago
New Resort & Casino Selects IvedaAI for Intelligent Video Surveillance Ahead of Grand Opening
-
Latest News2 months ago
HIPTHER Movement Launched: Fitness Community & Summer Run-Off Challenge Powered by GameOn
-
Latest News2 months ago
Brand-new projects debuting at iGB L!VE: Casino&You and Win&You Partners!
-
Latest News3 months ago
Fueling the Fast Lane: Play’n GO Music and MoneyGram Haas F1 Team Drop Esteban Ocon’s High-Octane Playlist: ‘Ocon’s Drive’
-
Latest News5 days ago
Light & Wonder to Participate in the 2025 Australasian Gaming Expo
-
Latest News4 weeks ago
2025 PUBG MOBILE WORLD CUP KICKS OFF WITH GROUP DRAW AHEAD OF ESPORTS WORLD CUP
You must be logged in to post a comment Login