Tugi Tark selected for Pitch ICE Barcelona 2026 - a clear signal for AI-first customer support in iGaming
On January 12, 2025, Tugi Tark was named one of just 12 startups chosen to present at Pitch ICE 2026 during ICE Barcelona. Organizers reported a 200% jump in applications, making this the most competitive selection to date. From hundreds of global entries, Tugi Tark stood out for its focus on AI agents that handle player support at scale in regulated environments.
Why support leaders should care
Customer service is moving from a back-office cost center to a growth lever. The finalists span payments, marketing, game development, and player protection - and Tugi Tark's inclusion signals that support quality now influences acquisition, retention, and compliance outcomes.
Instead of replacing teams, their pitch centers on reducing friction in growth: scaling across markets, languages, and brands without trading off service quality or regulatory guardrails.
"Pitch ICE is highly competitive, so being selected, especially in a year with such a sharp increase in applications, is a strong signal. It shows there's real interest in AI solutions that are built specifically for iGaming, not adapted from other industries," said Harpo Lilja, CEO of Tugi Tark.
He added: "We're not pitching AI as a buzzword or a futuristic concept. We're showing operators how AI agents can realistically handle player support in a regulated, high-expectation environment, and where human oversight still plays a critical role. That balance is what operators are looking for right now."
What Tugi Tark's AI agents aim to solve for support
- Multilingual, market-aware responses that respect local rules and tone.
- Faster intent triage and routing to reduce wait times and backlog.
- Automated handling of common account, payments, and verification queries with audit trails.
- Clear escalation paths with context handoff to human agents.
- Built-in compliance checks to minimize risky responses and keep logs regulator-ready.
- Consistent service across brands, with shared knowledge and performance reporting.
Pitch ICE format and what's at stake
Pitch ICE has become one of iGaming's most watched startup stages, drawing operators, investors, and product leaders. Past participants have gone on to secure major partnerships and funding.
In 2026, each of the 12 finalists will present a three-minute pitch followed by live Q&A. The winner receives €15,000 in AWS credits, sponsored by AWS, plus the Pitch ICE 2026 Trophy. For most teams, the bigger win is exposure and conversations on the floor.
Learn more about the event at ICE Barcelona. AWS program details are available at AWS Activate.
Where to see Tugi Tark at ICE Barcelona
All 12 finalists present Tuesday, January 20, 2026, 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., on the Pitch ICE stage. Tugi Tark goes on at 11:19 a.m. for a three-minute pitch.
Meet the team and see the platform at Stand PI03 in the Pitch ICE exhibition area, located between Halls 4 and 5. Presentations are open to all ICE Barcelona attendees.
Practical next steps for customer support leaders
- Start with your top 10 intents by volume and cost; automate only where you have clean policies and data.
- Set clear escalation rules and SLAs; require full context handoff to agents.
- Instrument CSAT, AHT, FCR, and containment; review weekly with QA and Compliance.
- Pilot multilingual flows in one market, then expand; maintain regulator-ready logs.
- Keep humans in the loop for payments, responsible gaming, and VIP cases.
If you're upskilling your team on AI for support roles, explore job-focused learning paths here: Complete AI Training - Courses by Job.
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