A full-sized ICE London returns for the first time in three years in February, with organizers promising the biggest show ever.
Three years since it was last held without capacity restrictions, ICE London makes its full-fledged return in February, with the global gaming industry set to come together for what can once again lay claim to being the world’s largest annual industry trade show.
Running from 7 to 9 February at ExCeL London, the return of the “real” ICE London comes after the event was cancelled altogether in 2021 before returning last year as a much smaller offering given the travel impediments that kept many exhibitors away.
And what a return it promises to be.
“It will definitely be the biggest ICE show we’ve ever run,” offers Stuart Hunter, Managing Director of show organizer Clarion Gaming.
“The last iteration of ICE in its full force was 2020 so that will be three years since we had a full-scale ICE, which has been a long time, and those three years have been very challenging.
“We are very excited to bring a full-scale ICE back. We had a really great April 2022 show, but it’s been well documented that certain brands and sectors, mostly land-based, weren’t present for various reasons.
“We put on a show for those customers who wanted it at the time and we were really pleased with that event, but now we are back to full-strength – all gaming operators, all sectors, a full spread.
“So we’re really grateful that everyone has shown that loyalty and put their enthusiasm into making it a big show.”
According to data gathered by Clarion, ICE London will welcome visitors from at least 158 countries in 2023 – a number that could grow further by the time doors at ExCel London open – while exhibitors are planning around 3,000 new product launches from the showroom floor.
“That’s really significant in the sense that ICE has always been a platform for new products,” explains Hunter.
“We never really knew where the industry would be after the past few years but in fact there have been huge amounts of evolution and focus towards making sure ICE is the platform to showcase what’s new. People won’t be disappointed.”
Greeting visitors this year will be a number of new initiatives, including the My ICE Gateway – an event interaction platform allowing attendees to interact and plan their event schedules in advance.
Also enjoying an expanded presence this year will be the ICE 365 live studio, a live broadcast studio allowing viewers – be that at the show or watching online from anywhere around the world – to view a range of product launches and interviews. You might even be lucky enough to see the IAG team appearing as special guests on the mornings of Tuesday 7 and Wednesday 8 February discussing all the latest news from Asia!
But with more than 600 exhibitors and 35,000 attendees, there is no doubt that London is the place to be for anyone connected to the global gaming industry.
“There just aren’t too many events like it, certainly in terms of size and scale,” says Hunter.
“It is pumped full of ideas, full of inspiration, full of solutions to any problems you might have and to any opportunities you might be thinking about. Anyone who is anyone in the gaming industry is in London for ICE, so whether you are an established business or a small business scaling up, ICE is where you can generate the next phase of your development.
“There is nowhere that has such a wide collection of products, services and people.”
