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Co-CEOs make it a family affair at EveryMatrix Jonas Groes joins EveryMatrix as co-leader alongside brother and company co-founder Ebbe Groes Jonas Groes, the highly experienced technology, finance and policy leader, has joined EveryMatrix as co-CEO alongside company co-founder Ebbe Groes. A long-time adviser, Jonas joined his brother on January 1 to lead the business as it continues to scale and provide advanced turnkey platform technology to an increasing number of the world’s biggest brands and lotteries. Jonas has a long and distinguished business career including the last ten years as partner at EY. For the last decade he was partner of EY’s Nordic Consulting practice consisting of more than 1,200 people leading high-level projects with a focus on strategy, innovation, and digitalisation towards major government and infrastructure clients. Jonas is a results-driven leader with extensive experience in both public and privately owned companies with strong knowledge of technology, finance and policy. He will be based in Copenhagen, Denmark Sponsored by Powered by ICE 2026 set to break attendance records World Gaming Week targets 65,000 guests ICE 2026 opens its doors today with Portfolio Director Margaret Dunn declaring it “the biggest event in gaming history” as the show aims for a record- breaking number of attendees. Now occupying its largest footprint to date at Fira Gran Via – including a new expansion into Hall 1 – ICE 2026 brings together a truly global audience, with strong visitor representation from Spain, UK, Malta and the US. The event has grown over 40% in size since the decision was made to move it to Barcelona in 2025. The conference programme matches that scale and diversity, with high-profile keynote speakers including Bally’s Corp chairman Soo Kim today and DAZN CEO Shay Segev tomorrow. Alongside the main tracks covering casino leaders, sports betting, esports and lotteries, ICE is hosting a record number of workshops. This year, the all-new Enterprise Stage acts as the show floor’s content hub, hosting presentations under six themes including Big Tech in Gaming and the ICE Innovators Challenge with Microsoft. High-profile appearances from AWS and Huawei are also set to take place. Dedicated areas for the Spanish industry, plus an increased presence from Latin America and Africa, further underline ICE’s expanding global reach in high-growth markets. Meanwhile, the Sustainable Gambling Zone has relocated to a larger, more prominent position between Halls 4 and 5. Since 2018, ICE has raised more than €450,000 for safer gambling initiatives, with €80,000 contributed by sponsors this year alone. Global regulators descend on ICE Show ramps up compliance focus, with 400-plus regulators expected in Barcelona Regulation will take centre stage at this year’s ICE, as organisers significantly expand the event’s programme for regulators, legislators and policy leaders worldwide. The enhanced agenda is designed to support the integrity and long-term sustainability of regulated gaming, positioning ICE as a focal point for global regulatory dialogue. Central to the initiative is the new Regulators’ Lounge, a private hub for focused engagement, alongside an expanded World Regulatory Briefing featuring closed-door sessions and peer-to- peer roundtables held under Chatham House rules. New thematic discussions will address illegal markets, compliance costs, AML risk and advertising restrictions, complementing country- specific updates. Tomorrow’s Regulators Lunch and a full schedule of partner-hosted side events further reinforce ICE’s commitment to collaboration. By uniting regulators, operators and suppliers in a trusted environment, the event aims to help shape a fairer, more effective regulatory future for gaming. Turn to page 6 for more. 285 615 19 JANUARY 2026ICEGAMING.COM#ICE26 Bally’s NYC visionEveryMatrix exclusive Today’s events 10:00 – 10:45 ICE WGF: Opening keynote, CC5.1 11:00 – 11:30 ICE 2026: Opening ceremony, Fira South Plaza 11:00 – 17:30 ICE WGF: World Regulatory Briefing, CC5.1 11:00 – 17:30 ICE WGF: Casino Leaders Conference, CC4.1 14:00 – 17:30 ICE WGF: Innovating Lotteries Conference, CC5.2 16:00 – 17:00 DEIB at ICE: Welcome reception, Pitch ICE stage Groundbreaking plans for the Strip Event news page 5 Day 1POWERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CASINO GROWTH 17.000 + worldwide casino games from 170 + providers 10.000 + sweepstake-ready games from 50 + providersMargaret Dunn Portfolio Director, ICE T hank you for joining us at ICE Barcelona, the world’s favourite gaming technology event, hosted in one of the world’s truly great cities. On behalf of the entire team responsible for delivering ICE, it’s a genuine pleasure to welcome so many gambling industry professionals from around the globe. The scale, ambition and energy on display this week speak not only to the strength of ICE, but to the continued evolution of the global gaming industry itself. ICE Barcelona 2026, alongside our sister show iGB Affiliate, represents the biggest event in gaming history. Together, the two shows now occupy a combined 143,000 square metres of exhibition space – a significant increase on the 100,000 square metres occupied by the final London edition. This growth reflects the expanding reach of our events and the increasing complexity and maturity of the industry we serve. One of the most visible developments this year is ICE’s expansion into Hall 1, adding 14,000 square metres dedicated to iGaming. This, in turn, has enabled iGB Affiliate to grow into Halls 8.0 and 8.1, complete with its own dedicated entrance, giving both events the space and identity to thrive side by side. Listening, learning and improving remain central to how ICE evolves. While feedback from the debut Barcelona edition placed ICE in the top 5% of business events globally, we know live events are never finished products. Throughout 2025, the team worked closely with visitors and exhibitors, not only gathering feedback but acting on it. You’ll see that reflected across the show. We’ve increased our investment in the Sustainable Gambling Zone, reinforcing our commitment to safer practices. To support the million-plus meetings taking place during World Gaming Week, we’ve introduced a new Quiet Zone at the heart of the venue, offering space for focused conversation away from the show-floor buzz. You’ll find a new Sports Betting conference track, additional information points to aid navigation, and the ECA Slot Floor Excellence Awards taking place tomorrow. ICE continues to evolve, shaped by the people who make it what it is. We hope you enjoy every moment. #ICE26 3 The first word This year’s iteration sets the stage for a new era of scale, collaboration and innovation A warm welcome to ICE 2026! Contents 3 The first word Setting the agenda for day one 5 Event news Speakers, stages and feature areas to watch 13 The studio Inside the iGB@ICE Studio – interviews, fireside chats and more 15 Exhibitor news Key updates from the show floor, the beating heart of ICE 35 New to ICE Meet the first-time exhibitors making their Barcelona bow 38 The last word Robin Harrison wraps up the issue Scan here to donate to this year’s official Sustainable Gambling Zone charity partner, GamblePause#ICE26 5 Day 1 Keynote 10:00, CC5.1 T he World Gaming Forum’s ICE keynote speaker, Soo Kim, is expected to deliver one of the 2026 event’s overall highlights, at 10:00 on the show’s opening day. Soo Kim as keynote speaker represents the broadening of ICE itself into an event for every aspect of the gambling and leisure industry, with the visionary leader expected to touch on Bally’s fascinating deal with Intralot to expand their respective iGaming empires in a new venture, the company’s land-based business, plus its plans for New York, the completion of the Chicago project and the land around the A’s stadium in Las Vegas. His speech is titled “Inside Bally’s Always-On Vision”. In a 45-minute session, Soo Kim will reflect on the business’s change from property acquirer to resort developer, with the Chicago casino, the redevelopment of the Tropicana site on the Las Vegas Strip and the recently granted New York licence for Bally’s Bronx project all on the agenda. The Bally’s Corp chairman has occasionally divided opinion in the Event news industry with bold moves as the business builds out an omnichannel operation from the US down to Australia and possibly beyond. With commitments in New York solidifying and Chicago due to open late 2026, we will see just how Soo Kim’s singular vision works. An expectant ICE audience will be hoping to hear real insight about this unique company. The prominent Tropicana site is arguably most representative of the company’s approach: a business that bridges the gaps between entertainment, sports and gaming. With the A’s stadium slated for a spring 2028 opening, Bally’s declared that around it they will build two hotel towers comprising 3,000 rooms, a 2,500-seat entertainment venue, 500,000 square feet of retail, dining and entertainment space – oh, and a casino. Soo Kim described it as a “once-in-a- generation opportunity to redefine the heart of the Strip”. Bally’s Intralot deal might be the most inspired of them all – or the riskiest, as the existing business has a strong UK presence and the recently announced tax hikes will have been met with dismay. The deal is a sort of reverse-takeover, where Bally’s becomes Intralot’s majority shareholder while selling its digital assets to create a new iGaming behemoth. Damien Ashton-Wellman, conference manager and head of content for ICE, told ICE Daily: “There are arguments in the wider land-based industry that there’s not enough innovation in the sector. Soo Kim is that perfect risk taker, willing to break the mould, to build new properties, going global, taking distressed assets and turning them around.” The World Gaming Forum keynote address is recognised as arguably the industry’s most prestigious speaking engagement, one that is analysed across gaming as a look to the future while acknowledging the past. In Soo Kim, ICE attendees have a fascinating, bold, visionary and polarising figure to listen to in what will surely be the year’s most talked-about address. Other speakers across the 2026 World Gaming Forum’s two-day programme include the UK Betting and Gaming Council’s Grainne Hurst, the Nevada Gaming Control Board’s Mike Dreitzer, MGM Chief Compliance Officer Stephen Martino, and many more. The key theme of this year’s sessions is what the industry can do about black market operators, with roundtables, fireside chats and much more. Bally’s Soo Kim delivers lively WGF keynote Opening address likely to cover groundbreaking vision for Bronx, Las Vegas and Chicago sites#ICE26 T he World Regulatory Briefing is arguably the must-attend event of the conference, packed with top speakers sharing knowledge and best practice with the industry. The key central theme for this year’s edition is predominantly how the regulated market can fight illegal gambling operators. With many countries and jurisdictions looking to raise taxes regardless of the impact on players, the playing field is less even than ever before; the risk of harm to players grows at an alarming rate, and governments miss out on tax benefits from their own regulated markets. So what can the industry do about it? Quite a lot, and in a refreshing change to the usual format, ICE’s WRB is bringing Chatham House Rules (CHR) to the conference floor after 11am on both days, for the main stage and roundtable events. For those unfamiliar with the term, CHR basically means participants can freely use information from a discussion but cannot reveal the identity of the speaker or other attendees. With no press in attendance, this is to encourage an open conversation. It’s a moral agreement rather than a legal one, and attendees are expected to embrace this. We’ve all seen the tax raises and regulatory changes in Sweden, Netherlands and Germany. We’ve also witnessed the repercussions of this: players going to offshore sites in droves. Combine this with “loophole” sectors and the regulated industry is being battered from almost every direction. That’s where the WRB comes in, to help operators and regulators find the path forward through frank and open conversation. As ICE Conference Manager Damien Ashton-Wellman explains: “We are bringing together all different perspectives in one place with the privacy and security to be able to have the hard conversations that need to happen. So we’ve got the view from the C-suite, plus regulators coming together to talk about how they’re working on international cooperation. We’ve got various data describing who is susceptible to the black market and how you combat conflicting statistics; whose responsibility is it to verify supply chain isn’t exposed to illegal operators?” WRB features high-calibre speakers, with LeoVegas CFO Stefan Nelson, FDJ’s Nils Andren, Nevis Premier Hon. Mark Brantley and Tim Miller of the UK Gambling Commission to name just a few. Guests will also be able to enjoy discussions on AML threats, the role of platforms in illegal gambling, emerging markets and a series of roundtable discussions on key markets, plus much more. The WRB is held on the first two days of ICE. World Regulatory Briefing January 19-20 EVENT NEWS 6 Industry unites against illegal gambling Regulators gather at ICE as LeoVegas, FDJ and the UK Gambling Commission lead the charge against the black market The heart of the Spanish sector Share ideas, unlock business opportunities and make new contacts at the all-new La Plaza V isitors wanting to connect, engage and explore everything the Spanish industry has to offer should head to La Plaza. Located at the left of Hall 3, the hub offers a vibrant atmosphere of engaging dialogue, cross-industry relationships and forward- looking initiatives all in the name of Spain. La Plaza will host its own dedicated events with highlights including a presentation by JDigital, the trade association for the online gambling industry in Spain, on the impact of illegal gambling, a session on the country’s bingo sector and a coffee and Q&A with regulatory body, the DGOJ. “La Plaza is the hub of the Spanish market in Spain,” says Clarion Gaming’s Director of Industry Insights and Innovation, Ewa Bakun. “It’s a place to meet, relax, learn and network. With a whole agenda of sessions, briefings, networking events and discussions, all delivered in Spanish, it’s ICE’s tribute to our host country.” Presented over the first two days of ICE, Monday’s proceedings wrap with a networking evening featuring Spain’s national and regional associations. La Plaza January 19-20#ICE26 EVENT NEWS 7 Sustainable Gambling Zone comes of age at this year’s ICE Bigger and better positioned, 2026’s SGZ reflects the industry’s evolved commitment to player protection T he Sustainable Gambling Zone (SGZ) at ICE 2026 has come a long way from its 2018 origins as the Consumer Protection Zone. For this iteration its area has expanded significantly and the zone enjoys a new position more in keeping with its status as the one thing that almost every facet of the gambling industry has in common: player protection. The SGZ is a collection of businesses and charities working in the gaming sector; it’s conference events, aimed at expanding the conversation and taking it forward; it’s bringing operators and solution suppliers together to find the right tools for players at the right time; and it’s raising funds for charities at the forefront of addiction detection and treatment. The SGZ’s new location is next to the walkway between Hall 4 and Hall 5, and an open-plan layout ensures maximum visibility and visitor engagement. Ewa Bakun, Clarion’s director of customer insight and engagement, says of the move: “We wanted the Sustainable Gambling Zone to not be in any of the halls, because if we put it in a hall, it’s like it belongs to that part of gaming. What we wanted to say instead was, it’s part of everyone’s business, whether you’re online, land-based, sports betting, whatever you do. Within the SGZ there is a stage, exhibitors, a networking area and it has its own refreshments bar.” The expanded exhibitor area is complemented by an outstanding conference programme, with a wide variety of related topics and excellent speakers across all three days of ICE. Highlights include “Recovery in Gaming”, with the brilliant Huw Thomas discussing recovery from within the industry, “Markers of Harm vs Positive Play: Practical Steps Toward a Shared Language” and “Are Safeguards Becoming Surveillance?” A particular highlight on Tuesday afternoon sees a presentation on the results of last year’s ICE Research Institute funding, and the announcement of the recipients of the next round of grants. Bakun elaborates: “ICE Research Institute offers financing and grants to various groups, preferably Spanish institutions or research that is done with the cooperation of a Spanish academic or scientific institution. These are annual grants to do research on the topics of prevention and responsible gambling.” Since 2018, ICE has raised more than €450,000 for safer gambling initiatives. This year, sponsors contributed €80,000 to be distributed among three charities. Donors to the cause are Acordjoc, Cirsa, Orenes, Betsson Group, Flutter, Merkur, Merkur Dosniha, BGaming, Novomatic and Novomatic Spain. Sustainable Gambling Zone January 19-21 Giving operators new tools to diversify With margins squeezed and regulations tightening, Casino Leaders offers practical insights to help future- proof your property T he Casino Leaders conference at ICE is aimed – in theory, anyway – at land-based operations. But the reality is, in the modern gaming world most operators are wearing many hats, including managing an online presence of some sort in a crowded market. The lines between verticals are blurring, and at ICE Barcelona we have responded to this with a series of discussions that move away from a purely land-based agenda. The Casino Leaders conference will be looking at regulation, policy and the myriad challenges faced by operators today. Squeezed by higher taxes, impeded by tightened regulations and battered by black market operators, it’s tough out there. Margins are being eroded, reducing churn is becoming more and more vital – how do you innovate, when every day is focused on those immediate challenges? A buzzword from many years ago is startlingly relevant today: omnichannel. This conference aims to give you the ideas and insight to maximise your property with diversification and imagination. Casino Leaders aims to show you how to mitigate these forces, to create a portfolio that allows your business to thrive no matter what draconian measures come up in future. Working with the European Casino Association to produce the most relevant programme we could, we have vital input from organisations such as MGM Resorts, Goldman Sachs and Spectrum Gaming. Sessions include “Lessons in Optimisation from the Cruise Industry” and “Diversification or Die: Evolving Beyond Gaming Revenue”. It’s about bringing the smartest minds from both outside and within the industry to help you find the right path forward and create security for your organisation. Of course, there is no single right way, there is no blueprint – but together we can figure out new approaches and ideas to create gaming’s fascinating, omnichannel future. And the future begins today, at 11:00, with the Casino Leaders conference. Casino Leaders Conference January 19#ICE26 EVENT NEWS 8 New players, sustainable growth A simple recipe for the lottery of the future O ne of the key themes across this year’s ICE conferences is innovation. It’s important for any tech-driven industry to keep moving forward but this is innovation in the face of multiple challenges – operational, regulatory, structural. Innovating Lotteries is set to look at trends and innovations affecting the lottery world right now and for the immediate future. Expect deep dives, regulatory discussions, AI and more. Lotteries are among the most regulated areas of gambling worldwide, and it’s an area that has become increasingly fuzzy in recent years thanks to newer varieties of lottery – for example, how many times have you seen a draw with a luxury house as the main prize recently? As ICE Conference Producer Hannah Meakes explains: “Non-monetary prizes, unusual raffle variants, they’re changing how players engage, why they engage, but also, are they different types of players? We’ll be looking at new lottery player demographics: what are their motivations, and how is the market responding to that?” With almost 20 speakers from lottery providers around the globe, expect big answers to the big questions. Speakers include Olli Sarekoski, CEO of Finland’s Veikkaus, formerly a gambling monopoly. It’s a chance to hear the near-unique experience of opening a market up to new operators. Innovating Lotteries Conference January 19 Boldly going where no stage has gone before Home to innovation and more, the Enterprise Stage is a dynamic new arena for this year’s ICE T he Enterprise Stage is the all- new show floor content hub at ICE 2026, a place where global technology leaders and innovators come together to shape the future of gaming. Replacing the former, closed-door Centre Stage, the Enterprise Stage hosts an extensive programme of tech-focused presentations, exhibitor demos and networking sessions. It promises to act as a hub for ideas, investment and innovation. In short, it’s the place to see some of the best ICE content. There’s huge variety in this year’s programme, with presentations and talks coming under six simple banners: Big Tech in Gaming, ICE Innovators Challenge (with Microsoft), Startup Accelerator, Academia América Latina, Awards and Tribal Partnerships. Big Tech sees a keynote speech from AWS discussing how cloud, data quality and real-world generative AI are reshaping the gaming and betting sector; speakers from Huawei explaining how infrastructure and AI capabilities will support innovation in the sector; and a must-see session with Microsoft that explores how unlocking the true value of your data is the critical differentiator between AI projects that stall and those that scale. If that’s not enough to blow your mind, add in the ICE Innovators Challenge, delivered in partnership with Microsoft. Here, five hand-selected innovators will present their solutions live on stage, showcasing breakthroughs across AI, data, player protection, automation and operational performance. Finalists pitch under pressure before a panel of senior judges in an exciting, real-time Dragon’s Den/Shark Tank format. Then there’s the ICE Startups Accelerator, with a keynote from Alea’s co-founder Alexandre Tomic, and sessions on where investment is going in the sector, founders discussing their issues in starting up a business from scratch and much more. New for 2026, we have the Academia América Latina on the Enterprise Stage for all of the show’s third day. This free seminar programme features specialised sessions in Spanish or Portuguese for visiting LatAm and Brazil- based attendees. Each presentation or panel will last 30-45 minutes, offering deep insights and dialogue on trending topics such as fighting the black market, sports integrity and more. See Amplifying LatAm in 2026 (p9) for more on this. The awards events are the Landmark Awards on the first day, for outstanding achievements across the industry; and the European Casino Association Awards, recognising excellence in the casino sector, close the second day. Last but certainly not least is the Tribal Partnerships seminar, opening in the middle of the second day with a memorial to Ernest Stevens, the much- missed former chair of the Indian Gaming Association. Standout sessions include one on the fight in California against unregulated operators, and the brewing battle over prediction markets versus state and tribal rights. If all of this isn’t enough, William Harding, head of emerging technologies and esports, explains another new innovation for the show: “We’re trying to use technology within the system to make it more accessible – we’ve got headphones that do automatic AI translation. It doesn’t matter what a guest’s background is or if they might find it hard to hear the presentations or understand, it’s all there for them. ICE is such an international show, and we have the technology to cater for people from lots of different countries.” Enterprise Stage January 19-21#ICE26 EVENT NEWS 9 Africa at the centre of everything ICE 2026 mainstreams the continent’s burgeoning gaming sector, embedding content across the floor I CE reinforces its credentials as the most international of all gambling expos and conferences with a renewed commitment to the African continent in 2026. ICE’s expanded Africa-related content is woven into the fabric of the event, not segregated in its own specific area. The continent’s importance is rapidly growing, with a mobile infrastructure and user base that means it brings a different kind of growth, customer – and even potential problems that are quite unique. As ICE Conference Manager Damien Ashton-Wellman says, “We have embedded Africa across our different content streams so that they have a seat at the table to all the conversations, rather than silently into a specific ‘Africa zone’. “We’ve got a regulatory roundtable bringing together regulators from Kenya, Botswana, South Africa and Nigeria as part of the World Regulatory Briefing; we’ve got our Africa C-level drinks as part of the World Gaming Forum; and we have sessions from South Africa and Nigeria across our sports betting and lottery conferences.” Speaking of the drinks event, you can find that at the end of the second day, with complimentary drinks, canapés and live music in an exclusive lounge plus access to a private Sky Garden for networking. It’s an opportunity to find everyone you’ve wanted to meet all week on the show floor, in one convenient location. Clarion Gaming has been working with Lois Bright, founder of Women in Gaming Africa, to ensure show and conference content for African guests is relevant, and embedded in the right way. Lois told ICE Daily: “One of our key objectives at Women in Gaming Africa has always been to move Africa out of the margins and into the mainstream of global gaming dialogue. ICE 2026 represents that shift in a very tangible way. Working closely with Clarion Gaming, we are helping to ensure Africa is woven into the fabric of the event – across leadership, regulation, innovation, and inclusion – with 2026 setting the tone for an even more expansive and integrated African presence in 2027.” Africa at ICE January 19-21 Amplifying LatAm in 2026 Latin America will have its strongest presence ever at this year’s event B efitting its status as one of the industry’s fastest-growing territories, 2026’s LatAm offer has been expanded to include more free-to-access content, more networking events and more exhibitors serving the Latin American market than ever before. New for this year is the Academia America Latina (Latin America Academy) – a full day of sessions focused on market opportunities, regulatory updates and innovation across the region – taking place on the Enterprise Stage on Wednesday. Expect insights into trends and challenges facing LatAm operators with panels comprising regional experts such as Neil Montgomery, Fellipe Fraga and Ida Lopez. Also new for 2026 is Casa Brazil, the home of the Brazilian representatives at the show throughout the week. Created to facilitate partnership development across operators, suppliers and regulators, Casa Brazil will provide a dynamic, stimulating HQ for those making a splash in the Brazilian gaming market. The invitation- only, private space will foster dialogue between industry, regulatory and institutional leaders working to ensure that the coiuntry maintains its position as one of the most exciting new gambling markets in the world. “As the official hub for Brazil at ICE Barcelona 2026, Casa Brazil showcases the country’s regulatory progress while connecting Brazilian stakeholders with the global gaming community in a trusted and secure environment,” says Liliana Costa, conference producer and Clarion’s LatAm liaison. Meanwhile, those with a conference or workshop pass can join the WGF LatAm Drinks at the CC4 Delegate Lounge on Monday evening. Raise a glass, forge new relationships and celebrate all that Latin America’s market has to offer. Latin America and Brazil at ICE January 19-21Next >