We’re excited to present another iGaming Talks session featuring Harpo Lilja, the CEO of Tugi Tark.
In this insightful conversation with TheGamblest, Harpo shares with us the story of Tugi Tark’s story, the biggest challenges the team has faced, its tools that cater to various operators in the industry. He also shares his perspective on the growing role of AI in transforming the iGaming industry, especially the customer support, and much more.
TheGamblest: Harpo, for those who may not be familiar, could you tell us a bit about Tugi Tark and the story behind its creation? Also our audience wants to know what were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building Tugi Tark, and how did you overcome them?
Harpo: Tugi Tark is a customer service AI software, the only support platform with AI Agents tailor-made for iGaming. Before Tugi Tark, my story in iGaming started back in 2016. At that time, the company I managed was focused on making reactivation calls to players who had churned. That business then transitioned into an outsourcing provider of customer support services. This journey led to the foundation of Tugi Tark.
Navigating a business before the age of 30, with limited life and business experience, was challenging and led to many mistakes and poor decisions. I quickly learned that if you don’t scale yourself, you can’t scale your business. What helped me push through was the mindset of continuous improvement: if you aim to get just a fraction of a percent better every day, a year later you’ll be in a far stronger position than where you started. Guess where you will be in ten years if you follow this strategy.
TheGamblest: What are the main solutions or services Tugi Tark provides, and how do they specifically cater to iGaming operators? In this crowded support solutions market, what makes Tugi Tark stand out from other providers?
Harpo: Tugi Tark is a customer service AI software built specifically for iGaming operators. Having handled more than 10 million iGaming support tickets through my previous business, we know exactly what players expect and what support teams need to deliver. That experience is our competitive edge, and it’s what allowed us to design a solution that truly fits the realities of this industry.
From there, the challenge was “just” putting together the right tech team to build it with us. While there are many competitors in the support solutions market, we remain the only provider fully dedicated to iGaming. Adding to that, our investor and CTO comes from the sports trading technology field – a space that is even more competitive and significantly more technically complex. That expertise ensures Tugi Tark stands apart, engineered to meet the toughest demands of iGaming support.
TheGamblest: Tugi Tark offers a wide range of tools – from AI agents and smart ticket routing to real-time activity monitoring and AI-powered translation. Which of these innovations do you see as having the biggest impact on player retention and satisfaction, and how do they work together to create a seamless support experience?
Harpo: I would say it’s not one single feature, but rather the combination of all the features in our all-in-one system that makes the real impact. They are interconnected, and having them all within one system is what truly sets Tugi Tark apart. When AI and humans collaborate to deliver support with speed, availability, and accuracy, the result is a phenomenal player experience.
That said, with every passing day, it’s becoming clearer just how much AI is disrupting the customer service field. We’ve just started; it will be transformative, and the player experience is the core of our solution.
TheGamblest: How do you see AI transforming customer support in the iGaming industry compared to traditional support models?
Harpo: Traditional support models depend on large teams, manual processes, and multilingual staffing, all of which drive up costs and create long response times. AI transforms this by automating routine inquiries and removing language barriers through real-time translation. Human agents remain essential, but their focus shifts to oversight, compliance, and empathy-driven cases. In iGaming, this creates a model that is faster, more scalable, and better aligned with player expectations.
TheGamblest: Many operators struggle to balance automation with human support. How can AI enhance efficiency while still maintaining the human element players often value?
Harpo: Customer support teams are going through a reinvention of their roles. The key is to keep humans at the top of the chain: responsible for decision-making, updating policy documentation, fine-tuning tone of voice, and most importantly, continuously training the AI agents to perform better.
Escalations from AI to human agents should happen seamlessly, within the same system. Humans have proven to be better at empathy, so they should focus on the cases where that human touch is needed. The AI needs to know its limitations and hand it over to humans at the right time, ensuring efficiency.
TheGamblest: Looking ahead, what do you think will be the next major innovation in AI-driven customer support for iGaming?
Harpo: The next big leap will be AI agents advancing from answering questions to actually executing tasks. For example, if a player requests a bonus and meets the eligibility criteria, the AI will grant it instantly, no human intervention needed. Similarly, if a player shows signs of risky behavior, the AI could immediately time out the account to protect both the player and the operator.
Another major step is proactive support. Imagine a player becoming inactive on the deposit page: Instead of waiting for the player to reach out or leave the site, the AI detects the inactivity and engages them directly on-screen to offer help. This kind of real-time, intelligent support will completely redefine how iGaming operators interact with players.
TheGamblest: Finally, how is Tugi Tark positioning itself at the forefront of AI in iGaming support, and where do you see Tugi Tark in the next 3-5 years?
Harpo: Our vision is to be the number one provider of customer service AI software in iGaming. We’ve built Tugi Tark from the ground up with this industry in mind, and that focus is what sets us apart.
TheGamblest: Running a company like Tugi Tark can be demanding. Harpo, how do you balance your work with personal life, and are there any hobbies that help you recharge?
Harpo: It has never been more exciting for me to work than it is right now. I genuinely love what I do. That said, it’s just as important to recharge the batteries and have passions outside of work.
For me, that means participating in sports, games, and competitions of all kinds. I’m a big fan of football, tennis, padel, card games, and spending time with family and friends. I also love the sea, going out on a boat is one of the best ways for me to relax and reset.
