ICE Barcelona kicks off: the leading gaming exhibition opens at its new location

The first edition at the Fira Gran Via Barcelona features 1,000 exhibitor brands from 118 countries occupying a total of 120,000 sqm of space.

Spain.- The wait is over. The International Casino Exhibition (ICE) has kicked off today (January 20) at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via amidst great expectations.

After bidding farewell to its traditional location at ExCel, London, the leading global gaming and gambling event got underway with 1,000 exhibitor brands from 118 countries occupying a total of 120,000 sqm of space. Last year’s event attracted over 45,000 attendees. This year, organisers anticipate a record attendance of more than 50,000 visitors.

Until January 22, visitors will be able to access innovative solutions, technology, valuable insights, and unrivalled networking opportunities. The leading companies in the industry are attending the show, which serves as a kick-off to find out the main trends and innovations that will set the course for the year ahead.

Key events on the agenda

The first day of the exhibition started at 8.30 AM with a welcome breakfast followed by a speech from Tom Nieman, CEO of Apollo Gaming Group. Then, Erwin Van Lambaart, ECA chairman, took the stage to welcome the global gaming industry to ICE 2025. In his annual address, he touched on the learnings since last year and the challenges, opportunities and outlook for the sector in 2025.

Shortly after 10:30 AM, it was the turn of Ismail Vali, founder and CEO of Yield Sec, who gave a speech titled “Industry Trends, Insights: Illegal Gambling in 2025” where he gave an exclusive update on how the illegal gambling industry has grown and evolved across online marketplaces globally.

As part of the World Regulatory Briefing (WRB), a flagship meeting that brings together policymakers, regulators and the industry to debate gaming’s key regulatory, legal and compliance developments, Birgitte Sand, gaming consultant, chief executive officer of Birgitte Sand & Associates ApS; David Yatom Hay, general counsel of Soft2Bet; Ewa Bakun, director of industry insight and engagement of Clarion Gaming; Michel Groothuizen, chairman of Netherlands Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit); and Mikel Arana, director general of Spanish directorate for the regulation of gambling (DGOJ) discussed “Cooperation, Conversation, Divergence: Global Trends in Gambling Regulation.”

Some of the topics that were discussed during the panel were the key regulatory trends to watch this year, how global regulatory operations can be balanced with localised policy decisions and what’s next for regulators.

Panels throughout the rest of the day will include discussions on the latest investment data on which sectors, verticals, and under-penetrated jurisdictions are seeing the most growth in, how AI is quickly reshaping the casino industry, providing leaders with powerful tools to optimise operations, enhance player engagement, and drive profitability and the upcoming launch of the European Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA).

Vicente Fox, the former president of Mexico, will also be a keynote speaker at a panel titled “Regulation & Revitalisation in Latin America” where he will address the requirements needed to balance economic growth with community protection.

Some of the standout sessions prepared for the next two days include:

“Betting on the Future: A United Team on Sports Integrity”: Featuring representatives from major sports leagues and betting industry experts, this session will address:

• Identifying fraudulent player behaviour, criminal activity, and the resourcing needed to monitor.

• The growing challenges to combat the negative reputational and economic impact of sports integrity.

• How stakeholders on all sides can work together to prevent match-fixing and build a sustainable betting market.

“The CEO Dilemma: Managing Growth, Risk & Regulation in the Online Gaming Industry”: The panel will bring together top executives from leading online gaming operators to discuss the critical challenges and innovative strategies in managing the delicate balance between providing a seamless, engaging player experience, ensuring compliance with evolving regulations, and implementing robust fraud prevention measures to protect their businesses.

Roundtables: A series of roundtables in which industry experts will discuss the current state of the sector in different countries. Regulatory developments, illegal market, opportunities and challenges, etc.

“The Current State and Future of Esports Betting: Emerging from the Esports Winter”: Ian Smith, ESIC commissioner, will review the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on esports betting, the consolidation of the data market and why there are many reasons for optimism and investment into esports betting offerings.

“From Strategy to Execution: Building a Winning Presence in Latin America”: This case study delves into the strategic roadmap and execution for establishing a successful foothold in the burgeoning Latin American gambling market, in particular focusing on igaming in Peru.

“UAE: Creating a Gaming Environment in a Cashless World”: In this session, Lindsay Slader, SVP compliance of GeoComply, will discuss the regulatory advancements that need to occur to allow a truly cashless environment, how will the slot and table games supplier be able to advance technology to allow a seamless cashless environment and how to operate a seamless environment to allow the consumer to have the same access as they currently use with other forms of payments