ICE London 2024: Industry Leaders Share Thoughts on the London Finale
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:ICE London is a spectacular event in the iGaming world, with every year hosting tens of thousands of exhibitors and attendees at the ExCеL London. As last year Clarion Gaming, the event organizer behind ICE, announced a historic shift from its long-standing London location to Barcelona in 2025, the industry is abuzz with anticipation. The upcoming ICE London 2024, set to occur from 6 to 8 February, marks the end of an era for the prestigious event in the UK.
To capture the essence of this significant transition, we've gathered insights from notable exhibitors who will be participating in this historic last ICE event in London. Their perspectives shed light on the past, present, and future of ICE, underlining its impact on the gambling industry and their expectations for this final London showcase and the forthcoming Barcelona chapter.
Contributors:
- Shaun McCallaghan, CEO at eCOGRA
- Rasmus Kjaergaard, CEO at MindwayAI
- James Illingworth, Vice President GLI EME
- Marina Ostrovtsova, CEO at BGaming
- Andy Ventris, ICE Event Director
- Michael Caselli, Chairman, Clarion Events
eCOGRA
ICE is widely acknowledged as the world’s largest gambling industry conference, and attendance this year looks set to top last year’s record-breaking number of over 40,000 attendees. In recent years we have been proud to exhibit in the Consumer Protection Zone (CPZ), an area dedicated to advancements and innovation in player protection, safer gambling and regulatory compliance - topics that are pillars on which eCOGRA is founded. We are delighted to be joining the CPZ at stand N1-120 again in February 2024. ICE, and in particular the CPZ, allows invaluable opportunities for discussions around regulatory advancements, innovations and trends, and of course networking. With Barcelona scheduled for 2025, it remains to be seen whether it will draw the same crowd in the new location. ICE is almost synonymous with London after all these years. However, one thing is certain: ICE 2024 will receive an incredible send off from its London cohort.
Shaun McCallaghan, CEO at eCOGRA
MindwayAI
Over the past few years ICE London has faced numerous challenges including bringing products and people into the UK following the country’s exit from the European Union. Despite these setbacks in addition to several major exhibitors withdrawing from the 2022 edition, the UK market holds significant importance for the gambling industry due to its well-established and robust regulatory framework, economic stability, and a culture that historically embraces betting and gaming. I believe the ICE event no matter the relocation for 2025 as a global gathering which holds paramount significance in emphasizing safer gambling practices within the gaming industry particularly through their Consumer Protection Zone, World Regulatory Briefing and Safer Gambling Workshop. As a global platform that brings together key stakeholders, innovators, and decision-makers in the realm of gambling, ICE serves as a unique opportunity to address and prioritize the promotion of responsible and safer gambling behaviors across multiple jurisdictions in one week.
Rasmus Kjaergaard, CEO at MindwayAI
GLI
With ICE 2024 set to be the last show in London, the global team from Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) will be there to offer world-class compliance at a world-class event for suppliers, regulators, and operators alike.
Whether a client’s focus is land-based gaming, iGaming, lottery, sports betting, or cybersecurity, the GLI group of companies, including Bulletproof and SIQ, will be on the stand at ICE to offer a fully integrated service. As well as meeting with established GLI clients at the show, Business Development Managers, Giusy Campo and Alberto Ruiz-Ocana, will be available to meet with potential new clients, from established operators to startups, to discuss how GLI can support new projects and plans.
Giusy, Alberto, and the wider global team will be on hand at booth #N3-210 where our land-based, lottery, iGaming, sports betting, and cybersecurity experts will help guide you through the ever-changing gaming landscape.
James Illingworth, Vice President GLI EMEA
BGaming
With over two decades of experience, ICE London stands as the pinnacle of the industry, holding a special place in my heart as a symbol of iGaming. BGaming's regular participation in ICE London has always been a rollercoaster of emotions, insights, and boundless energy. The 2023 event marked our first collaboration with a local artist in London within the project "When Art Meets Gaming." Now, in the upcoming year, we are excited to start working with another talented artist to transform BGaming's legendary game characters and booth’s design into extraordinary pieces of artwork.
ICE London is not just an event; it's a platform that showcases cutting-edge iGaming technologies and innovations driving the industry forward. The ICE exhibition attracts participants from all corners of the globe, making it the ideal arena for exploring market dynamics, consumer preferences, and emerging trends. In terms of its legacy, ICE plays a pivotal role in fostering industry prosperity by forging significant partnerships and facilitating extensive knowledge sharing. With ICE's imminent move to Barcelona, we see it as a whole new playground, teeming with fresh collaboration opportunities and further expansion into the Spanish market — a new level of the game.
The transition of ICE to Barcelona only adds more value to an already invaluable event!
Marina Ostrovtsova, CEO at BGaming
Clarion Gaming
ExCeL London provided an environment in which both ICE and iGB Affiliate were able to develop, meet the business needs of their stakeholders and grow in status as two of the most important live events in their respective sectors. We remain committed to ExCeL London as a great destination and are looking forward to bringing iGB L!VE to London in July 2025 to continue this legacy and provide the perfect backdrop for this fast-growing event’s future in London which is a key iGaming territory. By forging a progressive partnership comprising the international industry, Fira de Barcelona as well as public and private stakeholders in Barcelona, Catalonia and Spain we have a huge opportunity to create an important legacy for the future. From January 2025 Fira de Barcelona will be the epicentre for the international ICE and iGB Affiliate communities in a city which is rich in culture and which exudes a spirit of innovation.
Andy Ventris, ICE Event Director
Lyceum Media
ICE will be transitioning from London to Barcelona in a strong position. 2024 will be our biggest show yet, and it is an amazing starting point for our Barcelona debut where we will have an even larger event space that will allow our clients to do things that they were space restricted with in London. Alongside ICE, the iGB Affiliate conference will also be making the move to Barcelona, and we look forward to welcoming new groups of affiliates from Spain, Southern Europe and beyond into the affiliate community that we have developed over nearly two decades of iGB Affiliate.
We will be celebrating over 30 years of ICE and its move to Barcelona with the Official ICE Opening party, which is aptly named EVOLVE by Fire & Ice with SOFTSWISS. This networking event will feature live performances and Grammy-Award winning artists as a thank you to the world’s gaming elite.
ICE is the most important show on the gaming calendar. It brings the world together and has visitors from every corner of the globe. That means events under the umbrella of ICE, like the World Regulatory Briefing, bring a world-view to attendees and facilitate the sharing of experiences from a diverse range of jurisdictions. The same is true for the development of technology, business practices and responsible gaming. We are privileged that the leaders in the gaming world choose ICE to share their ideas, visions, and innovations. If you want to see where the industry is heading, ICE is the show to spot the trends. It’s also a great community, where sharing ideas is part of the culture. With ICE Vox, Ampersand - the start-up launchpad, and other activities under the umbrella of ICE there will be curated events designed to share knowledge, information and insights.
There is much longer lasting legacy to ICE than the three days show. London is a world-class casino destination, a major hub of iGaming, and the London stock market is home to the biggest iGaming companies in the world. I like to think that ICE has been a part of that development by being a steady beacon that brought the industry together to meet, to shake hands, and to share best practices. That has not just helped increase business, but helped propagate the mandate of good corporate citizenship, which is why London welcomes gaming companies to establish their operations, list their shares and offer their services.
Michael Caselli, Chairman, Clarion Events
What Does the ICE Community Think?
In our quest to grasp a more comprehensive understanding of industry sentiments, we've extended our reach to the broader community. A recently conducted poll across various social media platforms and industry forums sought to capture the collective pulse regarding the upcoming final ICE London in 2024. We have gathered and analyzed the responses of over 100 participants to provide insights into the overall sentiment surrounding the event.
The question posed was, "What Are Your Expectations for the Final ICE London in 2024?" The poll revealed that a significant majority, 34.6%, is anticipating a grand and unforgettable end of ICE's London chapter.
Following closely, 26.9% of participants speculate that the event will draw record numbers but have reservations about the quality of the experience. A minor segment, 15.4%, expressed concerns that the event could be overshadowed by the upcoming transition to Barcelona. Meanwhile, nearly a quarter of the respondents (23%) foresee a steady course with no dramatic shifts from previous years.
The community's verdict leans towards a spectacular farewell celebration at ICE London, and the excitement is mounting as we eagerly await the unfolding of the event next month.
More Is to Come
As we conclude our exploration of industry experts' viewpoints on the last ICE London event, it's evident that while the location may change, the spirit and significance of ICE remain. The anticipation for ICE 2024 in London is real, with each expert highlighting unique aspects that make this event a cornerstone of the gambling industry.
From celebrating advancements in safer gambling and regulatory compliance to looking forward to new opportunities in Barcelona, these perspectives underscore the dynamic and evolving nature of the industry. As we say goodbye to London's tenure as the host and turn our eyes towards Barcelona, it's clear that ICE will continue to be one of the most pivotal iGaming events, driving innovation and collaboration across the global gambling landscape.
Stay tuned for our ongoing coverage and insights as we follow ICE on its exciting journey to Barcelona.
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