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Celebrated game designer Joe Kaminkow confirmed as keynote at ICE World Gaming Forum
Clarion Gaming has added to the A-List of luminaries participating in the ICE World Gaming Forum with confirmation that Joe Kaminkow, the powerhouse behind the success of Aristocrat and IGT will be one of the headline speakers at the Casino & Leaders Conference (CLC) taking place on 20 January.
Joe who holds over 150 patents throughout the fields of game design, operations, and networks, creating or contributing game design intellectual property to more than 1,500 games across multiple formats and markets joins a line-up of headliners which includes Vicente Fox, 62nd President of Mexico, and Akhil Sarin, CMO of online brands Stake and Kick, as well as over 100 other speakers so far announced including Simon Thomas, Chairman of the Hippodrome Casino, Marcel Tobler, CEO, Swiss Casinos, Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, Chair, French Gambling Authority, Rhea Loney, Chief Compliance Officer, BetMGM, Sana Ali Aamir, European GM of Fever, and Warren Cho, Worldwide Gaming Leader, Microsoft.
Aristocrat’s Chief Innovation Officer will be leading a headline talk on attracting a diverse global audience through branded IP, drawing on his lessons from secured licensing rights from Batman, Star Trek, and Wheel of Fortune to Sex in the City and Game of Thrones. He will then join a panel of brand experts, including HASBRO, who will explore how to attract Millennial and Gen Z players in both the land-based and online space.
Announcing the news, Clarion Gaming’s Senior Conference Producer Damien Ashton-Wellman said: “The World Gaming Forum is about delivering thought provoking, authoritative insight delivered by Tier 1 thought leaders. Joe Kaminkow meets all of those criteria.
“He has been inducted into the Pinball Hall of Fame, the American Gaming Association’s Hall of Fame, the Licensing International Hall of Fame, the Coin-Op Hall of Fame, the Amusement Expo International’s Hall of Fame and the EKG Hall of Fame, as well as being named a ‘Top Ten Most Influential Person in Gaming’ by Strictly Slots Magazine.
“At Williams Electronics he secured licensing rights from NASA that led to the 1984 smash hit game Space Shuttle. Following that success he was recruited by International Game Technology (IGT) to revolutionize slot machines through the extensive use of licensed titles like the iconic Wheel of Fortune deal. Joe went on to found Spooky Cool Labs in Chicago, where he developed an online Wizard of Oz city builder, before the company was acquired by Farmville creator Zynga.
“Having had a chance to see him in his element in his Las Vegas workshop, there is no one better qualified to talk about the convergence of gaming and entertainment than Joe. He’s the gaming industry’s very own Doc Brown, and not just because he owns the DeLorean!
The participation of Joe Kaminknow will add to the profile of the program which in 2024 succeeded in bringing together over 1,210 senior decision makers from 79 countries, including 621 operator C-Level, 87 global CEOs, 72 national and regional regulatory bodies, and 7 government ministers.
Situated in the heart of Fira Gran Via Barcelona and featuring an exclusive club-style VIP lounge for delegates and speakers, dedicated networking garden, and a range of concierge services, the ICE World Gaming Forum will run Monday 20th – Wednesday 22nd January alongside the ICE and iGB Affiliate exhibitions.
The post Celebrated game designer Joe Kaminkow confirmed as keynote at ICE World Gaming Forum appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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The Battle for VCT Pacific 2026 Begins in Bangkok as Ten Teams Clash at VCT Ascension Pacific 2025
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Velocity Gaming Represents South Asia at VCT Ascension Pacific 2025 — Set to Take on APAC’s Finest for a Place in the VCT Pacific League 2026
National, October 14, 2025: The road to the next VALORANT Champions Tour season reaches its decisive stage as VCT Ascension Pacific 2025 kicks off today in Bangkok. From October 14 to 26, ten elite teams from across the Asia-Pacific region will converge at the Imperial Samrong Convention Hall to fight for two coveted berths in the VCT Pacific League 2026 and a share of the USD 100,000 prize pool.
The tournament marks the culmination of a year-long regional circuit, bringing together emerging contenders and established names, including Velocity Gaming, who will step onto the international stage to take on the Pacific’s top contenders, aiming to secure the region’s first-ever spot in the VCT Pacific League. Over the next twelve days, the stage in Bangkok will determine which teams rise to the international league in 2026.
Qualified Teams – Ten teams from across APAC have earned their place at Ascension Pacific 2025:
South Asia:
- Velocity Gaming
VCT Pacific:
- BOOM Esports
- Nongshim RedForce
Southeast Asia:
- Motiv Esports
- NAOS
- FULL SENSE
- Team NKT
Japan:
- RIDDLE ORDER
Korea:
- SLT Seongnam
Oceania:
- E-KING
Velocity Gaming has qualified for VCT Ascension Pacific 2025 after beating S8UL 3-1 in the Grand Final of the OMEN VALORANT Challengers South Asia 2025 Ascension Qualifiers.
Tournament Format
The competition begins with a Group Stage featuring two groups of five teams each, seeded based on regional performance. Both VCT Pacific representatives will be placed in separate groups. Teams will face off in a single round-robin, best-of-three format within their groups.
The top six teams will advance to the Playoffs, a modified double elimination bracket where the top two seeds from each group start in the upper bracket, and the third seeds begin in the lower bracket.
All playoff matches will be best-of-three, except the upper and lower bracket finals, which will be best-of-five qualification matches, determining the two teams that will ascend to VCT Pacific 2026.
Schedule – The full tournament unfolds over 12 days of competition:
- Group Stage: October 14 – 21
- Playoffs: October 22 – 26
- Upper Bracket Final: October 25
- Lower Bracket Final: October 26
Matches begin daily at 14:00 GMT+7 / 15:00 GMT+8 / 16:00 GMT+9.
Schedules are subject to change. For the latest updates, visit valorantesports.com.
Tickets
- Fans can experience the thrill of Ascension Pacific 2025 live as the tournament reaches its climax from October 24 to 26 at the Imperial Samrong Convention Hall in Bangkok.
- Come cheer for your region’s best as they battle for a spot in the VCT Pacific League 2026.
Venue Address:
- 999 Sukhumvit Rd, Samrong Nuea, Mueang Samut Prakan District,
- Samut Prakan 10270, Thailand
Tickets:
- Early bird tickets went on sale on September 20, followed by general sales on September 23.
- Tickets are available now via Ticketmelon — simply search for “VALORANT Ascension Pacific 2025” to secure your spot.
The post The Battle for VCT Pacific 2026 Begins in Bangkok as Ten Teams Clash at VCT Ascension Pacific 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Airoclip Raises $2.75M Seed Round Led by T-Accelerate Capital and Co-led by Centre Court Capital and BITKRAFT Ventures
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Airoclip, an AI-powered gaming studio focused on building adaptive gaming experiences for global audiences, has raised $2.75 million in a seed funding round led by T-Accelerate Capital (TAC), co-led by Centre Court Capital and global gaming investor BITKRAFT Ventures.
Founded in 2024 by IIM Calcutta alumni Naga Rohith Anisetty and Pruthvi Sai Y, Airoclip is pioneering a new era of mobile puzzle games by integrating adaptive story progression, innovative monetisation models, and scalable live operations. The company focuses on AI-driven personalisation and dynamic content generation to deliver superior gaming experiences to the world from India.
Airoclip, with its flagship puzzle games Tap Hexa and Hexa Dreams, has rapidly gained strong traction among players in the USA and Europe. With a stellar 4.8/5 rating on the Play Store and more than 300,000 installs, the studio is just beginning its journey to craft premium puzzle experiences for global audiences.
“We’re not just building games, we’re crafting experiences that evolve with every player. We’re thrilled to partner with investors who share that vision and will help us bring it to life,” said Rohith, co-founder and CEO of Airoclip.
This capital infusion will accelerate the development of Airoclip’s proprietary game personalization technology and strengthen its teams across game development, data, design, and marketing.
“We combine strong game design principles with innovative content formats that generative AI now enables. This approach will significantly enhance player engagement and unlock new revenue streams. By creating personalized, culturally relevant content, we can scale
efficiently across global markets with experiences that truly resonate with players everywhere,” added Pruthvi, co-founder.
Investors see Airoclip’s approach as a blueprint for how Indian founders can merge creative depth with analytical precision to build global gaming experiences.
“We’re excited to partner with Airoclip on their growth journey. Their sharp blend of analytical depth and creative ambition reflects the evolution of India’s gaming ecosystem and underscores the confidence of a new generation of studios ready to compete on the global stage,” said Carol Wong, Founding General Partner at T-Accelerate Capital.
Backed by increasing digital adoption and rising global playtime and revenue, the casual gaming segment is seeing sustained investor interest and global momentum.
“Airoclip represents the new wave of ambitious gaming studios emerging from India with global potential and vision. Their focus on quick prototyping along with their past experience in scaling games globally positions them to create enduring mobile gaming franchises from India in the future,” said Anuj Tandon, Partner – India & UAE at BITKRAFT
The post Airoclip Raises $2.75M Seed Round Led by T-Accelerate Capital and Co-led by Centre Court Capital and BITKRAFT Ventures appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Genting Casino Launches the £20k Spin Leaderboard Challenge with VIP finale at Resorts World Birmingham
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Premium online casino brand Genting Casino has announced the launch of its headline £20k Spin Leaderboard Challenge, an exciting promotion offering players the chance to spin for £20,000 grand prize in a roulette showdown at Resorts World Birmingham in December.
Live now until 17 November 2025, this exclusive multi-channel promotion gives eligible UK online casino customers the opportunity to get free spins on deposit, compete in a leaderboard by playing selected games, and secure a place in a live-filmed casino tournament, culminating in a single spin worth £20,000.
Players can opt in by making a deposit of £10 or more at Genting Casino using the bonus code WIN20K, which grants 150 free spins on Big Bass Splash, 10 leaderboard points and a shot at climbing the top 50.
The top five players on the leaderboard will be invited to Resorts World Birmingham for a VIP experience including an overnight stay on the 13th December, up to £150 travel reimbursement and entry into a high-stakes live roulette tournament. The overall tournament winner will claim the Grand Prize Spin which could be worth £20,000.
Those finishing between 6th and 50th place on the leaderboard will receive 100 free spins on Fishin’ Frenzy The Big Catch 2.
Mike Vella from Genting Casino said: “We’re thrilled to offer our unique £20k spin promotion to online customers again, culminating in our unique live finale. The campaign brings players from screen to casino floor in a spectacular fashion and is part of our commitment to capitalise on the exclusive journey we can offer our online customers thanks to our partners at Resorts World Birmingham.”
Leaderboard points are earned playing Online Slot Games and selected Live Tables. Double points are available on specific games on certain weeks with eligible titles including Genting Live Roulette from Manchester, Lucky Lady’s Charm Deluxe and Fishin Frenzy The Big Splash.
The final five players will participate in a filmed, bracket-style live roulette tournament at Resorts World Birmingham, with one last spin deciding who walks away with the life-changing top prize.
Winners will be contacted on 19 November 2025, and the live tournament date will be on 13 December 2025.
This is another example of Genting Casino offering customers a chance to play their favourite online games in order to climb the leaderboard to win prizes from cash following on from previous promotions which offered winners experiences including trips to see some of the world’s most prestigious sporting events.
Genting Casino offer a premium online experience with over 7,000 casino games ranging from the classic casino table games including live roulette, blackjack and a catalogue of online slots and instant win games from leading studios and providers, including favourites like Starburst, Fishin’ Frenzy and Book of Dead, all within a safe and secure gaming environment.
The post Genting Casino Launches the £20k Spin Leaderboard Challenge with VIP finale at Resorts World Birmingham appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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