ICE PREVIEW
Inside ICE Barcelona’s next leap forward
Stuart Hunter
significant technology-focused discussions, the Enterprise Stage features a high-profile speaker programme, including Dan Stillwell, Data & AI Director at Microsoft, alongside senior representatives from AWS and Huawei. By convening global technology leaders, innovators and emerging businesses, the Enterprise Stage will provide critical insights into how AI, cloud infrastructure and fintech are shaping the future of gaming.
After welcoming more than 59,000 unique attendees in 2025, ICE is preparing for its boldest edition yet. New halls, a technology-driven Enterprise Stage and a sharpened regulatory focus point to a show determined to grow without losing its edge. Stuart Hunter, Managing Director of Clarion Gaming gives us the inside track.
GIO: What objectives have you set for an event which continues to grow? Stuart Hunter: The 2025 editions of ICE and iGB Affiliate delivered record-breaking results, welcoming 59,101 unique attendees, surpassing the 52,345 high set in London in 2024. Total visitation reached a world-record 107,664 person-days, with attendee sentiment placing ICE in the top five per cent of business events globally.
Growth must be balanced carefully with the experience, ensuring that scale never undermines quality. While attendance remains important, we measure success using a wider dashboard of performance metrics. Retaining the energy and innovation that everyone experienced in 2025 is critical, reinforcing the show’s position as the benchmark for what a live event should deliver.
GIO: What’s new for ICE Barcelona ’26 – what innovations will the event bring? SH: ICE has expanded into Hall 1, adding 14,000m² of iGaming-focused space. A major new feature for 2026 is the Enterprise Stage, the newly rebranded on-floor content hub located in Hall 5. Designed to host the industry’s most
22 JANUARY 2026 GIO
On 20 January, the Enterprise Stage will host the final of the Innovator Challenge, delivered in partnership with Microsoft. This collaboration represents the first time a global technology leader of this scale has partnered directly with the gaming industry, marking a significant milestone for the sector. With a focus on responsible play, the challenge encourages operators and their partners to leverage AI to help build a safer and more sustainable gaming environment. The Enterprise Stage will also serve as the launch platform for the ICE Accelerator, a new initiative designed to support start-ups and scale-ups within the iGaming ecosystem.
GIO: What topics are being debated at the World Gaming Forum and what role does the forum play? SH: Combatting the illegal market, land-based growth in Europe, collaboration in sports betting, iGaming personalisation, lottery technology and innovation, bonus abuse and cyberattacks are the key industry topics that will be explored, analysed, dissected and debated at the ICE World Gaming Forum (WGF).
The 2026 programme will build on the success of 2025 when WGF welcomed 1,200 delegates from 79 countries. It brings together many of the most influential thinkers in the global industry with the outcomes of their discussions shaping policy and establishing the direction of travel.
GIO: How important is the scourge of illegal gambling and what is ICE doing to combat it? SH: Regulation remains central to the ICE mission. A new ‘Regulatory Advisory Board’ has informed an expanded programme including discounted access, private briefings and working sessions. More than 300 regulators attended ICE 2025, with a target of over 400 in 2026, reinforcing ICE as a vital platform for collaboration against illegal gaming.
GIO: Finally, what would you say to a member of the industry who was undecided about attending? SH: With over 25,000 product launches and 1.25 million meetings expected, ICE Barcelona represents unmatched opportunity. For many, it is the most important business week of the year. If you miss out on ICE Barcelona, you risk missing the products, the innovations, the insight, the discussions and the debates which will impact the future across all sectors and all jurisdictions.
MORE INFORMATION
ICE Barcelona 2026 takes place on 19–21 January at Fira Barcelona Gran Via. Visit
www.icegaming.com to learn more and register to attend.
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