Inside Asian Gaming

ICE Preview O pening its Earls Court doors to the international industry on 22/23/24 January, ICE—together with its remote gaming ICEi contingent—will feature at least 266 exhibiting companies over 16,000 square metres (172 ,160sq.ft) of floor space. “These figures represent just the confirmed list of exhibitors at the start of December, and the final tallies could well be higher,” ex- plained Clarion Gaming sales manager, Emma Green. “Put into con- text, the final numbers for the 2007 show were 209 exhibitors and just over 14,000sqm, so visitors can expect to see around 27% more in January, in terms of different suppliers, and an additional 15% of products and systems.” Bi-fold growth Expansion has been achieved across two fronts: firstly, no fewer than 79 companies are scheduled to exhibit on the ICE floor for the first time, bringing with them a plethora of new products, services, systems and ideas not previously seen at the London Show; secondly, of the 187 returning exhibitors, just over half (99) have opted to in- crease their floor space – allowing further opportunities to showcase new formulae from proven and successful brands. Big brands There’s no denying the quality of the ICE offering, with every major global supplier of slots, table games, systems and ancillary products vying for custom. Going on the size of their pitch alone, this year’s ‘big league’ comprises a top ten of Novomatic-Austrian Gam- ing Industries, IGT-Europe, WMS Gaming, TCS John Huxley, Atronic International, Aristocrat Technologies Europe, Fair Play, Informatica Franco, Amatic Industries/Genesis Games and Apex Gaming Technol- ogy. Also demanding high levels of attention with stands in excess of 150 sq. m (1,614 sq. ft) are Tranchant Gaming Technology, Gold Club, Alfastreet-Pockaj, Progressive Gaming International, Elektroncek, Gaming Partners International, Unidesa Gaming & Systems, Abbiati Casino Equipment, Bally Technologies, Ainsworth Game Technology, Konami Gaming and Carat Technology. These are joined by a further 19 companies with 100 sq. m-plus displays. ICE Packed! The size and scale of the 2008 International Casino Exhibitionwill outstrip all previous shows by some considerable measure, offering visitors a wider selection of new products and ideas thanever before, as the London Show continues to break all records High profile debutants With 79 first-time ex- hibitors, there’ll be plenty of new names to take in on the Earls Court floor, but standing out amongst the ‘newbie’ c r o w d with maiden displays over 50 sq.mwill be Odrex (Ukraine),Cashpoint Sportwetten (Austria), Sleic (Spain), G Planet (Slovenia), Gamesystem (Poland), Astro Corp (Taiwan), Global Zitro (Spain) and DLV (Latvia). Enhanced presence With around 100 exhibitors aiming to make bigger waves with larger stands at ICE 2008, a number really stand out as pushing the boundaries in more ways than one.None more so thanWMS Gaming, which is growing by 112% to 456 sq.m. Gold Club is also doubling up to 240 sq. m while fellow Slovenians Carat Technology are increas- ing their pitch year-on-year by 212% to 156 sq. m. Fair Play, TCS John Huxley, JCM American, Konami Gaming, Apex Gaming Technology, IGT Europe, Tranchant Gaming Technology, ICIT, BetStone, A Bet A Technology and Royce & Bach complete the line-up of heavyweight growers adding to their already burgeoning displays. Global flavour A strong international mix awaits all visitors to ICE 2008, with ex- hibitors drawn from over 40 countries bringing with them products and games suitable for every jurisdiction and gaming discipline. In addition to a third of the exhibitor roster based in the UK, strong rep- resentations come from the USA (21 exhibitors), Slovenia (13), Austria and Spain (10 each), Taiwan (9), Canada, Germany, Italy and Malta (8 each), Netherlands (7), Sweden (6) and France (5). Networking opportunities At show, bars dedicated to the international casino and remote gaming sectors and a hi-tech business lounge will provide locations for operators to mix business, pleasure and compare notes on the latest developments across worldwide jurisdictions. Out of hours, there’ll be the popular ICEi Party, ‘Breaking the ICE’ (Tuesday 23rd January), the inaugural ICE Party, ‘After Dark’ (Wednesday 23rd) and the British Casino Association’s Casino Ball (Thursday 24th). Summarising the attraction of ICE, Clarion Gaming’s head of exhibitions, Karen Cooke said: “Thanks to the continued support and bold strides made by our exhibitors, old and new, ICE contin- ues to go from strength to strength. As a result, ICE 2008 will stage the most dazzling display of new equipment, presenting opera- tors everywhere with new opportunities for growth. We look for- ward to welcoming the many thousands of visitors from over 100 nations in January.” • ICE – Earls Court, London, UK – 22/23/24 January 2008 • Free entry registration and further information: www.ice-exhibition.com