“The Balkan region is a key area for us with strong partners”

(Exclusive interview).- Sasha Kragulj, Business Development Manager at Innovative Technology, talked to Focus Gaming News about BEGE 2019.

Balkan Entertainment and Gaming Expo 2019 (BEGE) is fully booked and will feature more than 80 companies from all sectors of the gaming industry. BEGE 2019 will take place on November 21-22 at the Inter Expo Center, Sofia. 

Sasha Kragulj, Business Development Manager at Innovative Technology, talked with Focus Gaming News about the company’s participation at the upcoming BEGE 2019, and revealed why they picked the event to unveil new products.

How does BEGE help Innovative Technology achieve its short and long term strategies? What is your goal for the 2019 edition?

BEGE is an important event for us as it helps extend our presence in a region which is a key growth area for us. The goal for the 2019 exhibition is to showcase our latest innovations including age verification and Spectral technology to the Eastern Europe gaming and entertainment market.     

You’ve recently announced that BEGE 2019 will see the debut of ITL Spectral recycler and ICU age verification. Why did you pick this specific event to unveil new products?

We have been demoing ICU and our new Spectral Payout recycler throughout the globe this year including neighbouring Romania, but this is the first time we have showed these innovations at an exhibition in Bulgaria (stand number 3.9).

The new Spectral Payout is ideal for high volume applications requiring secure, multi-denomination recycling. It offers 80 note true mixed denomination recycling and large storage capacity for all denominations, eliminating coin starvation & reducing the coin float level required to keep machines operational. Boasting state-of-the-art Spectral technology, it offers the highest level of security with 100% note image capture and stained note detection.

The Balkan region is a key area for us with strong partners, a lot of existing customers and new interest.

ICU automates the age verification process by using clever machine learning algorithms to help combat underage gambling and assist premises and Operators comply with gambling restrictions and regulations. Boasting a high level of accuracy with a proven 96% success rate in detecting under 18’s, it provides a seamless service for the end-user as there is no need for customers to pre-register.

Innovative has expanded its presence in the region over the past year. How important is BEGE to help the company achieve this domination in the continent?

The Balkan region is a key area for us with strong partners, a lot of existing customers and new interest. Our business continues to develop and expand in this growing region so a strong presence at BEGE is important and shows our commitment to this market. 

The ITL brand is gaining recognition in the Balkans and we are looking forward to showing visitors our latest products this year. With support for over 100 worldwide currencies, Balkan customers already have an established confidence in our products.

BEGE has announced that the 2019 edition is fully booked. What are the benefits of exhibiting in front of so many visitors in Europe?

BEGE gives us a great opportunity to network with both current and potential customers from across Europe. Although BEGE has a focus on the Balkan market, it is often well attended by key industry players from across the world. The exhibition welcomes visitors from over 50 countries, so it provides a great platform for networking, sharing experiences and promoting our brand to representatives from all across Europe.

The ITL brand is gaining recognition in the Balkans and we are looking forward to showing visitors our latest products this year.

What can we expect from Innovative Technology in the last two months of the year?

We are developing some exciting innovations and hope to further develop our age verification device over the coming months. Preparations are well underway for ICE – the big gaming exhibition taking place in the UK in February next year closely followed by EuroShop – the world’s largest trade fair for retail investment requirements taking place in Düsseldorf in February. I will be attending both exhibitions, so look forward to meeting up with our partners and friends at the shows.