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October 2025
Our full range of age & identity verification solutions (MyCheckr, MyCheckr Mini , and ICU Lite) have recently undergone a functionality upgrade in line with customer needs. All our solutions are hardware devices which perform offline and in-person automated age estimation or facial recognition and can be either used standalone or fully integrated with customer machines. The development team have created an enhanced new firmware for customers who are considering or already using our AI-powered age & identity technology.
New & improved features include:
Superfast age checks with the whole process taking less than a second significantly speeding up age checks. Plus with our tech, customers do not have to interact or position their face in a specified area, it’s passive and takes place in the background without any hassle for the customer.
For those estimated over 25 access control is seamless. But we wanted to make the process more efficient for staff when a customer is flagged underage at an unattended machine or entry point. So we’ve developed MyConnect which links the age check device via a Hub.
This sends alerts on the MyConnect App when a potential underage customer attempts to purchase age-restricted items or enter an age restricted area. Perfect for self-serve checkouts, beer caves, 18+ gambling zones or any area which is age-restricted and unattended. The App on a tablet or mobile gives staff the ability to remotely accept or approve alerts, meaning more time to serve customers and enhance productivity. Plus MyConnect logs all entries which can be downloaded and exported providing digital proof for compliance audit logs to protect your business.
Our facial recognition technology can be used to compare a face to a database (1:many), match an ID to a face (1:1) and authenticate a QR code to a live face. Ideal for doors, gates, offices, safes, restricted areas and authenticating membership cards or entrance tickets. This enhances security and automates entry for authorised personal only, reducing the need for cards, fobs, pin codes and keys.
Anonymous analytical data can help businesses understand customer activity. Customers can create their own dashboards to view and analyse this valuable time-stamped customer data. DDI can help devise strategies to attract different cohorts and target messaging and adverts to specific groups. Our solutions can also be easily integrated in machines like POS systems using a simple API to significantly expand the amount of consumer data available.
The ability to show adverts based on gender and/or age has just got better. As well as being able to use static ads, the MyCheckr screen now has the ability to show animated images or video files. Perfect for grabbing the attention of your customer base with your latest offers or information!
If you already have one of our age & identity verification devices and want to take advantage of all the latest features & capabilities we recommend customers update to the latest firmware version.
Follow the instructions on how to update your device to unlock the full potential of our AI-powered age & identity technology. Please note you must be logged in to download the update file. If you have any issues our support team are there to help and can be contacted at support@innovative-technology.com
Using MyCheckr age estimation technology from ITL
Location
Girish’s Premier, Quarrywood Avenue, Barmulloch, Glasgow.
Owner & Director: Girish Jeeva
Core Business: Convenience Retail
With over 4,400 stores nationwide, Premier is the UK’s largest and fastest growing symbol group*.
All Premier stores are locally owned by independent retailers.
Girish has owned the Premier store for three years and installed the beer cave about a year and a half ago. A beer cave is a walk-in cooler specifically designed to store large quantities alcohol at optimal temperatures.
Innovative Technology (ITL) started the partnership with the Barmulloch store about a year ago, initially utilising MyCheckr & MyCheckrMini at the till points for age verification for alcohol and tobacco sales.
In summer 2025, ITL’s MyCheckr age check technology was extended to the beer cave entrance to assist with age-related access control.
The store has several schools and colleges located nearby and so many children use the store. Girish needed a device to help prevent those underage from entering the beer cave, to protect minors accessing alcohol and safeguard the business by reducing liability and ensuring legal compliance.
Staff often feel pressured when determining a person’s age. Human judgement during the age check process is influenced by a number of factors such as pressure, intimidation, mood, fatigue, distractions, unconscious bias (people tend to be more accurate when estimating people close to their own age) and even confrontation when asking for ID.
The store was also experiencing an increasing amount of shoplifting.
As a responsible retailer, Girish’s team at Premier take Challenge 25 seriously to ensure they stay compliant. The Challenge 25 policy plays a critical role in preventing underage access to age-restricted products like alcohol, tobacco, and vapes. The principle is simple: if a customer looks under 25, staff should ask for ID before selling age-restricted products. Assisted age estimation technology is designed to reinforce Challenge 25, not replace it.
The store embraces the latest innovations so were keen to integrate technology at the beer cave entrance to help:
Following the success of the MyCheckrMini implementations at the till point, the decision was made to install MyCheckr at the entrance to their beer cave to prevent underage access.
Staff needed a mechanism to be able to quickly react to underage customers trying to enter the beer cave without leaving the till point so ITL recommended MyCheckr linked with MyConnect.
The beer cave door is controlled by MyCheckr which is set with an age threshold of 25 years.
If a customer approaching the beer cave appears over 25, the door will automatically open with no interaction.
If a customer approaches the beer cave who appears under 25 the door remains closed. The MyCheckr is linked to a Hub, so alerts are sent to staff via the MyConnect App. Staff at the till point have the app on a tablet which notify them of any potential underage customers at the beer cave. The customer will need to show ID to the member of staff in order to gain access. Once the ID has been checked, staff can remotely open the door to the beer cave and allow access.
MyConnect also records all activity in a digital format for compliance logging too. The age check process does not store any images so privacy is assured, but age approvals and denials are logged for audit purposes
If a customer appears underage but is over 25 and have previously presented ID, they may wish to be enrolled to allow automatic entry to the beer cave. Employees can easily action this via MyConnect at the till point, ensuring a convenient shopping experience for future visits. Approved young staff members can also be enrolled for uninterrupted access to the beer cave.
A full audit log is available with digital records of all age checks for compliance audits. This information can be easily downloaded and exported.
*A symbol group is a type of retail franchise in the UK and Ireland where a central company acts as a wholesaler and supplier to independent retailers who then trade under a common brand name.
MyCheckr is a standalone device with a camera and screen that performs anonymous age checks
MyCheckrMini – compact version of MyCheckr without a screen
The Autumn Coin-op Show (ACOS) celebrates its 10th anniversary this month taking place on 21-22 October at ILEC Conference Centre, Earls Court, London. Innovative Technology (ITL) will be showcasing their latest cash validators and age & identity technology on stand 11.
Commenting on ITL’s involvement, Andy Bullock, Senior Business Development Manager said, ACOS is a great networking opportunity for the coin-operated amusement and entertainment industry and it’s always good to connect with our customers and partners at the show. A key focus this year will be on player protection and we look forward to showing how we can assist operators comply with the new age verification regulations coming into force.
“Our tech can help prevent underage gambling and manage self-exclusion schemes. MyCheckr performs accurate and anonymous age checks and is ideal when placed at the entrance to 18+ gaming zones FECs and bingo halls to stop underage access. ICU Lite can be fully integrated within a gaming machine to give an automated on-machine AV solution for land-based gambling venues including pub retailers. When our devices are linked via the MyConnect Hub, operators have full control and monitoring, and can remotely respond to alerts on a tablet or mobile for any underage access or play attempts which improves staff efficiency. Using facial recognition technology we can also help implement self-exclusion schemes, supporting player protection and safer gambling.”
Andy concluded, “We will also showcase a selection of note recyclers at the stand which are now widely used in the UK amusement market. We have options with varying capacities depending on your need, including the NV4000 which is ideal for redemption terminals due to its large multi-bill recycling capacity, NV22S for a compact note recycling solution, and the Spectral Payout for mid-range mixed denomination recycling.”
“Congratulations on a decade of ACOS, we look forward to seeing everyone – be sure to come and say hello to the team on stand 11 if you are attending.”
Inter Airport Europe is the world’s leading airport exhibition and covers all areas of airport-related technology, equipment and services. Innovative Technology (ITL) plan to showcase their age estimation and facial recognition innovations on stand B5-1260A on October 7 – 9 in Munich.
John Vallis, Senior Business Development Manager for ITL’s age and identity technology commented, “We are very excited to be exhibiting at the show for the first time presenting our AI-powered solutions to the aviation sector. Our devices including MyCheckr and ICU Lite which use facial analysis for age estimation, access control, ID checks and airport security.”
Explaining ITL’s offerings John said, “Our age estimation technology has various uses within an airport setting where age-restricted products are sold such as duty free, bars & restaurants and airport lounges. Whereas our facial recognition technology can be integrated with access control systems and e-gates to streamline passenger identification processing and provide a frictionless “Kerb to gate” customer journey with enhanced security. 1:1 biometric face match solutions are ideal for self-check-in, baggage drop-off, security access and boarding gates. Using 1:many biometric facial recognition we can assist with airport security, entrance gates and lounge access.”
John continued, “We’ll have an ID scanner on the booth connected to our technology demonstrating ID authentication with real-time on device face matching. Plus, thanks to one of our partners we also plan to show a speed lane security gate fully operational with MyCheckr for automated access control. This will clearly demonstrate how the airport sector can benefit from adopting biometric facial recognition technology to provide a secure and effective way of controlling who has authorised access. The security gate is linked to the MyConnect Hub for full remote monitoring and control which boosts staff efficiency and security.”
Concluding John said, “If you are attending the show come along to booth B5-1260A and see how our solutions can provide an extra layer of security, improve efficiency and elevate the passenger travel journey using the latest AI-powered technology.”
Innovative Technology Americas are preparing for a major gaming show in the US – G2E 2025 – which will take place on 7 – 9 October at the Las Vegas Venetian Expo. Global Gaming Expo (G2E) is the gambling industry trade show for discovering the latest technologies and connecting with partners. Innovative Technology (ITL), a trusted provider of bill validators and recyclers to the gaming industry, will be showing their latest devices, from booth 1830.
Commenting on ITL’s participation, Lauren Fabbri, Business Development Manager for North America said, “This is always an exciting exhibition for us and we can’t wait to show G2E visitors our latest technology. We are experiencing huge growth across North America, as well as expanding our presence in South American, so this show presents an ideal platform to network with customers and suppliers in this vibrant market. Interest in our NV200 casino grade, field-proven bill validator is rising and with its “easy to retrofit” design, we are seeing more operators upgrading their existing machines. Come to the booth and see how this unit can transform cash handling for your gaming operations.”
Lauren continued, “We will also showcase a selection of bill recyclers at the booth with varying capacities depending on your need, including the NV4000 which is ideal for redemption terminals due to its large multi-bill recycling capacity, NV22S for a compact bill recycling solution, and the Spectral Payout for mid-range mixed denomination recycling. When using any of our recyclers with the SMART Coin System we can provide the gaming industry with a complete payment solution for both bills and coins.”
Concluding Lauren said, “G2E visitors will also be able to demo our latest AI-powered age and identity verification technology too. These products can be used to help prevent underage gambling, either on-machine or at entrances to age-restricted gaming zones. The team will be happy to answer any questions and demonstrate our products on booth 1830 – see you in Las Vegas!”
Hospitality Tech Expo is Europe’s leading event for industry professionals to discuss cutting-edge technology for the hospitality sector. Held at London ExCeL on 30 September to October 1st, Innovative Technology (ITL) will demo their latest cash handling equipment and age estimation technology on stand HT810.
Commenting on their involvement, Chris Wright, Business Development Manager for ITL’s retail sector said, “We are looking forward to the 2025 event to highlight how the retail and hospitality sector can benefit from implementing our cash validators, recyclers, and assisted age check solutions at the point-of-sale.”
A key focus on the ITL stand will be their AI-powered facial age estimation solutions which are being used by the retail and hospitality industry to aid staff during the sale of age restricted goods such as alcohol.
Chris explained, “MyCheckr is a hardware device that uses facial analysis to estimate age, all completely anonymously and fully GDPR compliant. It’s simple to use, with the display turning green if the customer is over 25 and red if potentially underage. Our technology is highly accurate and when positioned at attended payment points it can take the pressure away from staff and give them more confidence to ask for ID if needed. Using the same technology, ICU Lite is our integrated solution for automated payment kiosks which reduces the need for staff intervention, creating a frictionless customer experience.”
“However, MyCheckr’s features go way beyond age assurance. It can provide demographic data insights (DDI) to give insightful, time-stamped activity to better understand customer purchasing trends. Plus, it can even display age appropriate targeted promotions. Customers can manage multiple age check devices with MyConnect which sends alerts to staff via the app to notify them of a potential underage purchase or entry attempt.”
Concluding Chris said, “We will be demonstrating a payment kiosk on the stand equipped with our Spectral Payout note recycler and SMART Coin System (SCS) coin recycler for secure cash transactions. By using our note and coin recyclers, business owners can accept cash payments from their customers in a secure and cost-effective manner – eliminating shrinkage and reducing operating costs. ICU Lite for automated age checks will also be integrated in the kiosk, showing a complete solution working seamlessly. Come and demo our technology for yourself on HT810 and see how it can help you transform your hospitality business.”
ITL are enhancing their maintenance and servicing provision on a global scale and have welcomed several new Approved Services Centres over the last few months. The leading provider of cash validation technology, with field-proven devices such as the NV9 Spectral, NV200 Spectral, NV22 Spectral and SMART Coin System, currently have several ITL dedicated service & repairs departments. They have been working with local partners to extend their service centre facilities across Europe.
Andy Bassam, VP of Customer Support for ITL commented, “We already have our own established ITL Repairs Departments at all our office locations including in the UK, Spain, Germany, USA, Brazil and China. These departments are responsible for product maintenance and repairs, troubleshooting and parts replacement. We have a standard 12 month warranty across all the product range and offer product repairs submitted via the new website Support Hub or dedicated global email repairs@innovative-technology.com. Customers have the option to use an ITL repairs department or one of our Approved Service Centers if located more conveniently”.
Andy continued, “ITL Approved Service Centres status means that authorised partners can service and repair devices from the full range of note and coin products. We have officially welcomed eight new centres across Europe over the past few months – two in the UK, E-Service and Maggi Electronics, Neware in Italy, Beopay in Serbia, Innovative Vending Solutions (IVS) in Romania and three centres in Spain – Josbe, Cocaven and Iniciativas Murcia. All have undergone extensive product repair training and completed an in-depth audit proving they meet essential requirements and standards. They have successfully demonstrated their commitment to maintaining the quality standards and regulatory compliance that are so important to ITL – well done to all the teams involved and thank you for your continued commitment.”
Concluding Andy said, “Providing a choice of service centres, not only complements our own repairs departments but it helps give our customers a more localised, convenient service. Together we guarantee a regional, speedy and efficient response and reduced waiting times to keep machines operational in the field. Providing an excellent level of service ensures we increase the product lifespan, enhance the customer experience and support product development.”
A list of all ITL Repairs and Approved Service Centres can be found in ‘contact us‘.
Innovative Technology (ITL) are delighted to welcome Stephane Bourdin as Business Development Manager. Stephane is based in Paris and is responsible for all ITL sales in France and The Benelux region. ITL are headquartered in the UK with several international offices and have two main divisions; cash validation equipment and age & identity biometric technology.
Commenting on his new position Stephane said, “I joined Innovative Technology at the end of April and am currently responsible for developing and strengthening our customer base in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. I manage business development and client relationships in the gaming, banking, and retail sectors.”
Welcoming Stephane to ITL, Thorsten Labusch, VP of Sales & Business Development said, “I would like to extend a warm welcome to Stephane. This region is important to our business and with his experience and local knowledge he is perfectly placed to communicate the benefits of implementing our solutions to potential customers. He is responsible for growing our presence in France & The Benelux for all our target sectors so his role is very wide-ranging. Stephane has worked in the cash validation industry for some time and already has in-depth knowledge of our solutions, and most importantly, he is familiar to many of our customers.”
Stephane added, “I’ve always worked in cash handling for automated machines (vending, ticketing, gaming), so for 27 years I’ve been part of this industry in one way or another! My background enables me to offer customers the most effective solutions and I’m really looking forward to seeing some successful installs throughout the region. Regarding our biometrics solutions, I am regularly in contact with Stephan Rosseneu from Bergens our dedicated Trading Partner for France, and together we aim to achieve the best possible results for our age estimation and facial recognition side on the business. I also look forward to working with Moneytronic, our biometrics Trading Partner for the Netherlands.”
Thorsten concluded, “Stephane has an impressive knowledge of the cash handling market and I look forward to working with him to extend our reach and maintain a secure and productive customer base for ITL.”
