ICE’s first year in Barcelona defined Clarion Gaming’s activity throughout 2025, with record attendance, high exhibitor participation, and extensive product and business activity across the global gaming sector. The relocation introduced new operational considerations while reinforcing ICE’s position within the international event calendar.
In an exclusive year-end interview with Yogonet, Stuart Hunter, Managing Director of Clarion Gaming, reviews ICE’s 2025 performance, discusses how stakeholder collaboration influenced planning, and outlines what the industry can expect from ICE Barcelona 2026.
Barcelona’s first edition saw record attendance and exhibitor participation. What were the biggest operational or logistical lessons learned from hosting an event of this scale in a new city and venue? How has the industry responded to the relocation so far?
Moving an event that’s the size of ICE from London to Barcelona was a huge logistical undertaking and one in which the ICE team worked in perfect synchronicity with the venue and our exhibitors. The Barcelona editions of ICE and iGB Affiliate re-wrote the record books, attracting a total of 59,101 unique attendees, surpassing the previous high of 52,345, which was set in 2024 – the last editions to be held in London.
The ICE unique attendance of 50,019 represented an 11% year-on-year uplift, with iGB Affiliate recording a total of 9,082 unique visitors, an increase of 24% on the previous highest, which was set 12 months ago. ICE and iGB Affiliate registered a total visitation figure – a measure of the number of person days spent at the Fira Gran Via Barcelona – of 107,664, another gambling industry world record. Seeing so many industry professionals make the journey to Barcelona was a powerful validation of the decision to relocate the show—one that was made in close partnership with our stakeholders.
While the numbers tell an important part of the story, they’re also matched by satisfaction: sentiment ratings placed ICE in the top 5% of business events globally. That success came with a clear responsibility—to take both the data and the feedback and build on them for ICE Barcelona ’26. Over the past nine months, we’ve been listening closely to visitors and exhibitors, and we’ve implemented a range of changes directly informed by that feedback. Elevating the event experience means paying attention to every detail.
With a show as dynamic and fast-paced as ICE, one of the messages we received is that there’s not enough space to pause, recharge or connect. In response, we’ve introduced a dedicated area on the show floor where visitors can charge their devices, catch up on emails and host meetings without stepping away from the action.
Alongside this, we’ve made several further refinements. These include reverting opening hours to the 2024 schedule, introducing a new Sports Betting Conference track, and adding additional information points to improve navigation across the venue. We’ve also launched the Good Neighbour’s Charter, which sets out clear guidelines to reduce the chances of friction between exhibitors, including measures around noise control and unauthorised photography. Across all of these initiatives, the objective remains consistent: to listen to our stakeholders, remain sensitive to their needs, and continuously improve the ICE experience year-on-year.
You recently announced the development of a Spain-focused industry agenda, created in collaboration with national and regional associations. Why is this a priority for ICE? In what other ways is stakeholder outreach shaping the 2026 program?
If you plot the history of ICE, every single big decision has been taken in partnership with the industry sectors that the show serves. Collaboration and partnership are central to our strategy, which means that the show will always reflect the needs of the industry. To ensure that we meet the specific requirements of international jurisdictions, we work in partnership with a myriad of associations and organisations active throughout the world.
Our collaboration with ANJL, Brazil’s National Association of Games and Lotteries, is a case in point. As a result of working with ANJL, ICE Barcelona will have an energised focus on Latin America with Brazil at the centre of a dedicated programme that will include seminars, regulatory updates, networking, and strategic discussions.
ICE Barcelona 2026 will also witness the launch of Academia America Latina. An entry-level seminar for LatAm and Brazil-based ICE attendees, Academia America Latina will be conducted in Spanish and Portuguese, featuring local lawyers, government representatives, exhibitors and association partners.
The programme which has been curated based on consultations with the National Police and multiple regulatory authorities from jurisdictions including Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Panama and Ecuador among others will deliver deep-dive actionable insights on trending topics including combating the black market, sports integrity, the challenges that are still facing Brazil and guidance on how to build competitive, compliant platforms that resonate with Latin American users. Each presentation and discussion will offer participants deeper insights and an interactive dialogue with expert panellists.
ICE Barcelona has also strengthened its long-standing strategic alliance with CIBELAE. The Ibero-American regional association of the World Lottery Association (WLA), CIBELAE represents government-regulated lotteries throughout Latin America, Spain, and Portugal, from a European perspective.
With reference to the Italian market, we have agreed a strategic partnership with Gn Media, the organisers of IGE and IGA. Throughout the year, we’ll be working together on editorial content, communication campaigns, and joint projects that will connect operators from ICE Barcelona all the way to IGE. It will be a dynamic, evolving collaboration with concrete actions designed to expand Italian participation at ICE and attract more international players to Italy.
In Spain, we have been working throughout 2025 to listen, to connect, and to demonstrate our commitment to the domestic industry. The conversations have been forward-looking and constructive. La Plaza —a dedicated hub on the ICE show floor will host an industry-led programme co-curated with the Spanish associations, featuring bespoke content sessions, networking events, and collaborative initiatives that put the voice of Spain’s gaming community at the very heart of ICE Barcelona.
There’s a real enthusiasm to showcase Spain’s strength and dynamism on a global stage, while also embracing the opportunity to contribute to the broader strategic conversations impacting the future of the industry.
ICE continues to strengthen its position as a global bridge between Europe, the U.S., and Latin America. How is the new Barcelona location influencing the show’s role in connecting these markets? Are there new cross-regional initiatives or programs planned for 2026?
ICE enjoys an international profile that eclipses every event in the gaming space. In 2025, industry professionals from 186 countries were represented at ICE Barcelona – to give that figure context, the United Nations has 193 member states.
Relocating to Barcelona has unquestionably broadened the event’s appeal, engaging with a larger global audience. In 2025, 83% of attendees travelled from outside Spain, a major jump from the 62% seen when the event was hosted in the UK. LatAm continues to be a strong growth region for 2026, alongside Central and Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia. As Europe’s biggest gambling market, Italy recorded a 55% rise in attendance at ICE 2025. Its close proximity to Spain and market dynamics make it an important jurisdiction. Unsurprisingly, Spanish attendance surged by 603% in 2025, and we are collaborating with the relevant associations and strategic bodies to drive this even further.
ICE also builds environments that are conducive to collaboration, none more so than the ICE World Gaming Forum, which is the most significant global gathering of leaders from across the gaming ecosystem.
Soo Kim, Chairman of Bally’s Corporation, will headline the 2026 edition as the opening keynote on Monday, 19 January, sharing exclusive insight into the company’s ‘Always-On’ vision. His participation underscores the Forum’s reputation for being the industry’s most influential platform for strategic policy discussion.
In 2025, the Forum attracted 1,200 delegates from 79 countries, including CEOs, regulators, politicians, and industry associations. For 2026, the content has been carefully curated with industry input to address the most pressing cross-vertical, cross-regional challenges and opportunities. Speakers will explore topics including Combatting the Illegal Market, Land-Based Growth in Europe, Collaboration in Sports Betting, iGaming Personalisation, Lottery Technology and Innovation, Bonus Abuse and Cyberattacks.
The full agenda is available at: https://www.icegaming.com/wgf/choose-pass
Regulation continues to sit at the heart of every sector-wide, cross-regional conversation. To reflect its importance, we have established a Regulatory Advisory Board to guide how ICE can serve the industry more effectively, specifically in relation to combatting the threat and growth of the illegal gaming market.
This helped shape the expanded Regulatory Programme, which includes discounted access for regulators, private sessions, working lunches, and several new initiatives.
Our commitment to strengthening regulated gaming is stronger than ever. ICE 2025 hosted more than 300 regulators—one of the largest global gatherings of regulatory professionals—and our goal for 2026 is to exceed 400.
By bringing together regulators, policymakers, operators, suppliers, banks and even social media experts, ICE offers a uniquely powerful environment to foster collaboration and achieve meaningful progress.
Looking ahead to ICE 2026, what should the gambling industry expect from next year’s edition? Are there any new developments, expansions, or announcements you can share at this stage?
The move to Barcelona was a major milestone, and this year we’re taking the event even further—not only in terms of scale, but in the overall experience for everyone attending.
The most immediate change visitors will notice is ICE’s expansion into Hall 1, adding an additional 14,000m² of space dedicated to iGaming. This enables the co-located sister event, iGB Affiliate, to grow into Halls 8.0 and 8.1, complete with its own dedicated entrance. Together, the two shows will now span an impressive 143,000m².
One of the elements we’re most excited to introduce is the Enterprise Stage, our newly rebranded show-floor content hub. Located in Hall 5, the Enterprise Stage will be the focal point for the most important conversations around technology in gaming. The speaker line-up will include industry leaders such as Dan Stillwell, Data & AI Director at Microsoft, alongside senior representatives from AWS and Huawei. By bringing together global technology leaders, innovators, and emerging players, we aim to help the industry better understand how AI, cloud and fintech will shape the next generation of gaming.
On 20 January, the Enterprise Stage will host the final of the Innovator Challenge, delivered in partnership with Microsoft. This marks the first time a global technology leader of this scale has partnered directly with the gaming industry, and it represents a significant milestone for the sector. Focused on accelerating innovation in responsible play, the challenge invites operators and their partners to harness AI to help build a safer future for gaming.
The Enterprise Stage will also be the launch platform for the ICE Accelerator, a new programme designed to support start-ups and scale-ups within the iGaming industry. The ICE Accelerator will deliver a series of workshops and roundtables led by investors, mentors and successful founders. Building on our existing Pitch ICE initiative, it focuses on the next phase of the start-up journey, offering a more in-depth, growth-driven experience for businesses ready to scale.
At the heart of the show, visitors will also discover the all-new McLaren x ICE Lifestyle Lounge. Designed to elevate the visitor experience, the lounge will feature a McLaren configuration area where attendees can personalise their dream car, alongside an interactive simulator that captures the thrill of driving a McLaren. As part of the collaboration, guests will also have the exclusive opportunity to take part in test drives of the latest McLaren models.
Finally, visitors should keep an eye out for the exclusive ICE x Uplatform special edition beer. This forms part of an exciting new partnership between ICE and the Barcelona Beer Festival, proudly sponsored by Uplatform, offering attendees the chance to enjoy a curated selection of local and international craft beers.
We calculate that throughout World Gaming Week, over 25,000 products will be launched, and somewhere in excess of 1.25 million business meetings and engagements will take place. The combination of product launches and a million+ meetings makes ICE Barcelona the most important gaming technology event anywhere in the world.
Our customers always say that ICE is the place the world of gaming goes to do business, so my message to industry professionals based throughout the world is if you’re not in Barcelona, you run the risk of missing out on what could well be the most important business week of your year.
