Industry professionals from 162 countries gathered in Barcelona for the 2026 edition of World Gaming Week, bringing together a record 62,988 participants from across the globe, stretching from Brazil to Belgium, Nigeria to the Netherlands, and Canada to Cyprus.
Host nation Spain recorded the largest national presence at the event, with 10,209 participants, according to new data released by organizer Clarion Gaming. The United Kingdom followed with 5,999 attendees. Other represented countries included Malta (3,187), Cyprus (2,628), Ukraine (2,512), Poland (2,247), the United States (1,568), Italy (1,353), Germany (1,165), and Bulgaria (1,076).
Total attendance for the event represented a 5% increase from the 2025 figure of 59,939. The numbers, which were independently audited and verified, included 51,996 visitors to ICE, a 4% increase year-on-year, and 10,992 attendees at iGB Affiliate, up 11%.
Visitor days across the two events reached 120,439, representing a 9% increase compared with the previous year. According to organizers, the 2026 edition recorded the largest gathering of gaming industry professionals to date.
Regional participation increases
World Gaming Managing Director Stuart Hunter said: “Whilst attendance can only tell part of the story, we are naturally delighted that both ICE and iGB Affiliate Barcelona continue to grow and continue to resonate with industry stakeholders from every corner of the world.
“The uptick in attendance from continents and regions, including Africa (+65% year-on-year) and Latin America (+40%), reflects the reach of World Gaming Week and also serves as a powerful endorsement of the targeted engagement and promotional campaigns that we deployed to support the business objectives of our exhibitors.
January’s editions were notable for several landmarks. It was the first occasion that total attendance exceeded 60,000, the first time that iGB Affiliate broke through the symbolic 10,000 figure, and the first time that visitation was more than 120,000.
“Significantly, all of our attendance figures are independently audited, meaning that our commercial partners can make informed business decisions based on the facts,” Hunter added.
Technology discussions and industry forums
World Gaming Week also served as a venue for the introduction of more than 25,000 products and services presented by gaming companies.
Hunter said the event included key discussions on the relationship between gaming and technology, including artificial intelligence, data, player protection, automation, and operational performance.
“In terms of show features, the Sustainable Gambling Zone (SGZ) once again demonstrated how the industry is committed to player protection, and the World Gaming Forum featured CEOs, politicians, regulators, and industry associations, who gathered in Barcelona to debate the most important issues impacting the industry, not least the threat posed by the illegal market,” said Hunter.
“It is the connections made during World Gaming Week and the conversations that take place involving game creators, operators, regulators, politicians, and policy makers that will shape the future of gaming across continents during 2026 and beyond,” he added. “Many of those key conversations that began in Barcelona will be continued and developed further when the industry meets in London for July’s edition of iGB L!VE.”
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2026/03/17/118077-world-gaming-week-in-barcelona-draws-a-record-62-988-professionals-from-162-countries
