Confirming the news, Stuart Hunter, Managing Director, Clarion Gaming, stated: “We set ourselves some demanding targets in terms of engaging with our customers and I’m delighted to say those targets have been surpassed. It’s clear from the anecdotal feedback, from the independent research that we have commissioned and most significantly from the volume of re-books, that exhibitors at ICE London 2022 enjoyed a hugely successful return to the show floor after a two-year absence due to the Covid restrictions.

“The vast majority of attending exhibitors re-booked during ICE with a significant number requesting additional stand space. We have also had confirmation of the return of the brands supplying the land-based gambling sector and all of the signs are hugely positive for 2023. The ICE brand is returning to its traditional February dates with vigour, determination and a real sense of purpose.

He added: “Understandably there was some speculation that the 2022 show would lose some of its international appeal due to complications associated with Covid however gaming professionals from 138 nations made the journey to London reinforcing its status as the industry’s only truly global show. I have to reiterate that despite all of the hurdles, all of the issues and all of the speculation – ICE London 2022 was the biggest, most comprehensive and most international gaming exhibition to take place since the previous edition of ICE in February 2020. ICE London remains the event where ideas are formed, new strategies formulated and where the future is written.”

European Casino Association Chairman, Per Jaldung welcomed the latest ICE data and the return of the show to its February dates. He stated: “Everyone who was in the exhibition halls at ExCeL London was reminded of the energy and vitality of big in-person events. ICE is the flagship global event for the industry and I am delighted that the exhibition is close to capacity so far in advance of it going live.

“ICE is pivotal to the recovery of the land-based sector post Covid and the ECA is working with the team at Clarion Gaming on a programme of symposia for industry suppliers and casino operators in advance of ICE 2023.”

The 2022 show which was attended by 410 exhibiting companies drawn from a total of 59 countries also hosted many of the industry’s leading charities and strategic bodies including the European Casino Association, EUROMAT, International Association of Gaming Advisors, International Association of Gaming Regulators, Gaming Regulators European Forum, International Masters of Gaming Law, Global Gaming Women, YGAM, GamCare, Better Change, Gordon Moody, All-In Diversity, Gamstop, Responsible Gambling Council, Responsible Gambling Trust, Society for the Study of Gambling and the Danish Online Gambling Association.