ICE Barcelona “behind-the-scenes”

What were the logistics you implemented for this first edition of the event in Barcelona, after so many years of holding it in London?
Our preparations for the move started as soon as the exhibitor advisory board that we put together to consider the city bids opted for Barcelona which was in August 2023. We launched an extensive orientation programme which saw us host exhibitor teams from all parts of their respective operations, industry journalists, thought leaders and of course our own people responsible for both ICE and iGB Affiliate. It’s a cliché, but it has been a military exercise. The amount of detail involved in moving an event the size of ICE/iGB Affiliate from the UK to Spain is difficult to describe. There are also numerous new relationships which need to be learned – but that’s what organising events is all about. We did everything in our power to help fulfil the vision that our stakeholders had and that we share for both ICE and iGB Affiliate. There’s always room for improvement and we will always be in pursuit of perfection.

Could you make an evaluation considering the characteristics of the facilities, the size of the venue, its location in the city of Barcelona for the first time, and the accessibility of the attendees?

Essentially Barcelona provides us with the opportunity to scale and to meet the needs of our exhibitors who want more space and who use ICE to showcase their brands. ICE and iGB Affiliate 2024 occupied every square millimetre of exhibition and meeting space at ExCeL London. At 100,000 sqm it was the biggest gambling show on record. Visitors to ICE and iGB Affiliate 2025 were presented with 120,000 sqms of innovation. Ultimately over the course of the next five editions our target is to occupy up to 200,000 sqm and attract an audience of 100,000. That would simply not be possible in London.

The relocation to Fira Gran Via Barcelona enabled us to add new features and enhance existing ones. For example, the first ICE ‘Association Assembly’ was created to enable trade bodies to promote their values and create new opportunities for the gaming community across every sector and geography.

The rebranded World Gaming Forum (previously ICE VOX)  comprised the World Regulatory Briefing, the new Casino & Leaders Conference (formerly the ICC), and the new Esports & Games Conference - formerly the Esports Betting Conference. It delivered exclusive content, in-depth workshops, high-level roundtable discussions, and tailored networking events, providing a home for the industry’s thought-leaders, innovators, challengers, and policy makers. The additional space at Fira Gran Via Barcelona meant that we could add an exclusive club-style VIP lounge, a dedicated networking garden, and access to a range of concierge services.

The combination of world class exhibitors, world class content and world class features will underpin the ability of ICE and iGB Affiliate to meet the needs of the totality of the international gaming community.
 

Sustainable Gambling Zone

How was Safer Gambling represented?

Barcelona witnessed the launch of the rebranded Sustainable Gambling Zone which comprised 26 safer gambling bodies occupying 490sqm of space. The Zone, which was sponsored by Flutter Entertainment, the parent company of the world’s leading online sports betting and iGaming operator, hosted three days of educational content including two dedicated to consumer protection and one to ESG. Safer Gambling charities Gordon Moody (€30,000), Fejar (€25,000) and FES (€10,000) were named as the beneficiaries of the charity fund generated by the sponsors of the ICE Sustainable Gambling Zone.

The €65,000 fund was the result of generous donations from leading brands comprising Cirsa, Grupo Orenes, Betsson Group, Flutter, Acordjoc, Alea, Novomatic, Playtech, and Novomatic Spain and takes the total donated at ICE to €385,000.

I’m extremely proud that Clarion Gaming was the first event organiser to embrace safer gambling when it introduced the ICE Consumer Protection Zone seven years ago which went on to establish a template for other events to follow.
 

Record world attendance

What was the response of the attendees to this first edition in Barcelona?

At the time of writing, we are in the process of undertaking all of the forensic checks and data interrogations. However, I can confirm that the combined attendance for both shows will set a new world attendance record for any gambling event.

We will very shortly begin comprehensive company-wide debriefs which will be followed by exhibitor and visitor experience surveys conducted by a specialist independent external agency. We do this after every event that we stage but understanding in detail the response to the relocation makes these surveys even more significant.  Our primary aim is to identify those aspects of the exhibitor and visitor experience which we could improve upon. This isn’t a vanity project but part of our commitment to continuous improvement. Anecdotally all of the feedback published across every media channel and the comments that have been sent direct to me have been hugely positive.
 

Spain on the centre-stage

What impact did this edition have on Spain, southern EMEA, being a benchmark for community-regulated gambling?

We hope that staging the world’s biggest and most influential gaming show in Barcelona will help to reflect the status of the Spanish industry as part of a broader gaming technology sector -  highlighting its professionalism, regulatory commitment and contributions to the national economy. By bringing regulators together, it will foster cooperation to fight illegal gambling and position Spain as a strictly regulated and compliant industry. In addition, the ICE research institute that we launched in Barcelona announcing grants for research with Spanish academic institutions will contribute to evidence building and knowledge transfer. It will put Spain centre stage in increasing our understanding of gambling’s impact on society and the economy. Finally, the contributions made by Spanish gambling companies to the Sustainable Gambling Zone fund will support the important work being undertaken by the three successful charities.
 

Barcelona as a hub for innovation and creativity

What aspects of the host city were integrated into the event experience?

As a prelude to the show’s opening we staged the ICE X World Gaming Gala, an exclusive invitation-only evening event held at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. It brought together 600 of the most influential figures from the global industry and the city of Barcelona for an evening of glamour, anticipation, and excitement and incorporated the historical WRA event, traditionally held on ICE’s first day.

It was a spectacular start to the week, paving the way for our visitors to experience ICE and iGB Affiliate Barcelona alongside the hundreds of events based throughout the new home to the global gaming community.

Barcelona is celebrated as a hub for innovation and creativity, and I believe that ICE and iGB Affiliate reflected those characteristics. The gambling industry is one of the earliest adopters of the new technologies which can improve the customer experience, drive operational excellence and enhance sustainability. Our relocation to a city well known for its digital legacy and home to numerous tech companies, provided an opportunity to engage with stakeholders who currently operate on the periphery of the gambling sector, but often are its most significant technology providers. For the first time we staged a VIP ICE Innovation and Technology Guided Tour of the exhibition for tech providers and investors giving them the opportunity to experience the latest advancements and innovations that are redefining the industry.


 

ICE as a benchmark event for the global games of chance sector

What elements of this edition do you consider make ICE continue to be the benchmark event for the global gaming industry, despite the change of venue?

I would like to be very clear that we are facilitators of opportunity. Our role is to help the industry to achieve its objectives, to be on the front foot, to be able to respond at speed, to be responsive and to deliver everything to the highest possible standards of professionalism.

Everything that we do is undertaken in partnership with our customers. We pro-actively seek-out stakeholders to share their hopes and visions for the business.

We make a point of being active listeners. On the basis that our customers know more about their business and the industry that we ever can we feed every bit of insight and analysis back into the development cycle. The spectacle that attendees experienced at ICE and iGB Affiliate is the result of listening and acting on what our customers want. It’s a simple and uncomplicated process that’s founded on a passion for this wonderfully dynamic and exciting industry.