UPAD Deploys “Rakija Gate” to Combat Bots During Record Ticket Demand for Aleksandra Prijović Concert
ZAGREB, Croatia – November 18, 2025 - UPAD, a rapidly growing fintech-driven ticketing infrastructure startup, announced the successful deployment of “Rakija Gate,” a novel anti-automation system designed to identify and isolate bots during high-demand ticket sales. The launch coincided with the opening of ticket sales for a new Year’s concert by popular singer aleksandra Prijović,hosted by Extra FM,and followed what the company describes as the most refined bot attack ever encountered in the region.
The concert ticket launch also marked the debut of FX168 as the concert provider, and was promptly targeted by a massive influx of automated traffic. Within minutes of sales going live, UPAD’s behavioral engine detected purchasing patterns substantially exceeding normal levels.
Rather than allowing bots to compete with genuine fans, UPAD’s system directed the suspicious traffic into a dedicated “isolation channel” – internally dubbed “Rakija Gate.” This allows automated sessions to continue operating without impacting the experience for real users, who are able to proceed towards checkout.
The name “Rakija Gate” reflects a regional cultural understanding: the implication being that only genuine people can handle the strong Balkan spirit rakija, while automated systems cannot.
“This is what artists, organizers and fans deserve – not a mystery, not a guess, but real data, real fairness, and real presence,” stated a UPAD representative.
UPAD positions Rakija Gate as a new layer of integrity for live event access, notably as the Balkan market experiences increasing demand fluctuations. The company plans to further enhance transparency by releasing regular Event Digests - anonymized reports detailing queue composition, purchase success rates, abnormal isolation activity, and an overall integrity score.
UPAD is building the technology infrastructure for fair and obvious live experiences in the Balkans and beyond. The company utilizes technologies like modern seating architecture, behavioral scoring, and presence tracking to protect artists and fans from automated interference. UPAD’s core philosophy is centered around “Real Presence” (Be Present).
For more data, visit upad.hr.
About UPAD:
UPAD is a rapidly growing ticketing infrastructure company building the technology backbone for a fair and transparent live experience in the Balkans and around the world. By incorporating technology layers such as modern seating architecture, behavioral scoring and presence tracking, UPAD protects artists and fans from automated interference. Using minimalist system design as the visual language, “Real presence” With (be Present) as its core philosophy, UPAD aims to improve the way live events are sold, measured and experienced.
Media Contact:
dooinfo@upad.hr
