ICE Barcelona 2025: Merkur Group Celebrates Successful Trade Show Debut

From January 20 to 22, more than 630 companies from around the globe gathered at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via to showcase the latest technologies for international gaming markets to approximately 55,000 visitors. As usual, the Merkur Group took part as well. 

The gaming giant from Germany traveled to the Spanish metropolis with eleven subsidiaries and two strategic partners to showcase its diverse portfolio as one of the largest exhibitors on an area of around 2,500 m².

“Our expectations for the first ICE in Barcelona were high, and seeing them surpassed so significantly has deeply impressed us,” said Dominik Raasch, Management Board Member, Merkur Sales. “This success has infused the entire industry with a strong sense of courage and optimism for the months and years ahead. The decision to move to Barcelona was unquestionably the right one for the international gaming branch. The positive atmosphere and enormous visitor interest already have us eagerly looking forward to ICE 2026.”

On the spacious Merkur exhibition stand, the diverse and innovative content creations of the international sales brand Merkur Gaming in particular attracted the attention of the guests. Especially the Linked Progressive Jackpot Systems Clash Link, Link Wave, Mystic Link and Link Overdrive thrilled attendees with their exciting features, intelligent mechanics, and exceptional graphics. 

Another highlight was the M-Prime Multigame Package, sparking curiosity thanks to its advanced player interface and extensive portfolio of games. Providing the perfect showcase for the modern Merkur content was the Mod Ex cabinet family. Beyond its elegantly minimalist design, its unparalleled modularity stood out, allowing customization of the monitor, body, and base according to customer needs. Among the various cabinet models, the Mod Ex J55 emerged as a crowd favorite, impressing visitors with its expansive and strikingly curved display.

In addition to Merkur Gaming, numerous other subsidiaries demonstrated their product ranges in Barcelona, underscoring the Merkur Group’s diversity. While adp Merkur showcased the German land-based portfolio, Blueprint Operations and Blueprint Gaming presented their cutting-edge cabinets and game innovations for the UK market. For Merkur Dosniha, the ICE felt like a home game: The Spanish distribution and development brand delighted its customers with six new product launches, including the introduction of the Mod Ex and the debut of new titles such as Pig Run, Long Empowered, and Lady M.

Visitors seeking durable, high-quality, and reliable cash-handling and payment systems found their needs met at the GeWeTe booth. The cash-handling experts displayed an impressive array of products, with standout models such as the Cash-Center Premium, Cash-Center Compact Casino, and Cash-Center Slim. Meanwhile, online gaming enthusiasts found everything they could ask for in the Merkur eSolutions section. This umbrella brand, together with its subsidiaries Euro Payment Group, Bede Gaming, and edict egaming, demonstrated a modern 360-degree approach that successfully bridges the gap between land-based and online gaming with innovative product solutions.

Strategic partners Spintec and Gaming Arts were also key components of Merkur’s exhibition space. Both companies, having made their first joint appearance at G2E 2024 in Las Vegas, continued their successful collaboration with a strong showing at ICE. Spintec impressed attendees with its extensive ETG (Electronic Table Games) and live gaming offerings, while Gaming Arts captivated audiences with new game titles such as Lava Lock™ and Big Catch Bass Fishing™, along with its tailored Mod Ex cabinets for the North American market.

Athanasios “Sakis” Isaakidis, Chief Executive International at Merkur Gaming, affirmed the resounding success of the Merkur Group’s presence at ICE 2025: “We could hardly have imagined a more successful debut in Barcelona. Over the three days, we experienced immense foot traffic at our booth and overwhelming interest in our innovative products. The long and intensive preparation for this new chapter has paid off in full. As always, our mission now is to channel this outstanding feedback into our product development and return to Barcelona even stronger next year.”