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iGB Affiliate gets underway in new Fira home ICE’s dynamic sibling returns to connect affiliate leaders from across the globe Standing proud as the world’s only dedicated event for iGaming affiliates, iGB Affiliate 2026 opens today. The show fosters a welcoming and enthusiastic environment, perfect for collaboration, learning and networking. In its new location spread across Hall 8, visitors can discover over 200 exhibitors, meet the event’s pioneering partners and network over a bite to eat in the food court. The 2026 iteration is the biggest iGB Affiliate to date. Commenting on its opening, Portfolio Director Naomi Barton said: “iGB Affiliate Barcelona is the heartbeat of the global iGaming affiliate community. “Alongside ICE as part of World Gaming Week, we unite the industry’s most ambitious affiliates, operators and tech vendors to meet, connect and grow their businesses by working together and building trust-based partnerships that last.” “We provide the independent intelligence and high-stakes networking our customers really need to secure Sponsored by Powered by Bringing DEIB to the heart of the industry Inclusion and diversity take a leading role at ICE 2026 ICE is continuing its commitment, as both organisation and expo, to the importance of DEIB in the gambling industry, with a top-level conference programme and three inclusive events this year. Across three days of educational sessions, interactive workshops and networking, ICE is supporting the industry in recognising new player segments, engaging diverse audiences and strengthening inclusion within their organisations. By creating inclusive campaigns and promoting diverse leadership, the industry can truly connect with a broader global audience. ICE is also putting on a programme of networking sessions with DEIB at its core. The week opened with a reception dedicated to collaboration and community in an informal gathering. Today’s African Americans in Gaming Multicultural Mixer brings together professionals to celebrate the multicultural identities that power the gaming industry. Tomorrow, the Pitch ICE stage hosts the Global Gaming Women brunch meetup and panel, which features a fireside chat between Paris Smith and Continent 8’s Julia Weygandt. They will explore what it takes to lead through constant change, from digital disruption and regulatory evolution to building inclusive, adaptive teams. Clarion’s Damien Ashton-Wellman said: “We have a responsibility to ensure we’re championing diverse voices, discovering the next generation of talent and providing them with the environment to nurture and grow.” EveryMatrix rounds off day one with glittering Skyfall party Leading technology provider rolls out red carpet for 250 invited guests Tier-1 technology provider EveryMatrix set the Barcelona skyline alight last night with the biggest party in town at the city’s exclusive Skyfall rooftop venue, pictured on page 15. The invite-only event, situated at the top of the Hyatt Regency Barcelona Tower, was reserved exclusively for EveryMatrix customers and prospects who enjoyed the finest dining, cocktails and entertainment the Catalan capital has to offer. After a packed day of meetings at the Fira, EveryMatrix guests met with some of the leading technology provider’s key representatives for some great conversations and inspiring connections. The 250 guests at the party enjoyed a sumptuous first evening surrounded by stunning panoramic views. 305 6 155 20 JANUARY 2026ICEGAMING.COM#ICE26 Segev delivers keynoteRoger Gros on the great gaming divide Today’s events 10:00 – 10:45 ICE WGF: Day two keynote, CC5.1 10:15 – 11:45 Innovators Challenge with Microsoft, Enterprise Stage 11:00 – 17:30 ICE WGF: Sports Leaders Conference, CC4.1 14:00 – 16:45 ICE WGF: iGaming Customer Journey Workshop, CC5.2 14:00 – 17:30 ICE WGF: Esports Betting Conference, CC5.1 17:00 – 18:00 E CA Awards, Enterprise Stage ICE welcomes the world In the spotlight page 9 Day 2POWERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CASINO GROWTH 17.000 + worldwide casino games from 170 + providers 10.000 + sweepstake-ready games from 50 + providers#ICE26 3 The first word E xactly when your preparations for this year’s ICE began is hard to say, but from an organiser’s perspective, ours probably started last January, shortly after the final stretch of 2025’s purple carpet was rolled away and the keys to the Fira returned by a weary operations team. I exaggerate slightly – iGB L!VE would have taken priority for a time – but the principle holds: successful events are built on planning, and plenty of it. Planning, of course, isn’t confined to the organiser’s office. For many companies, ICE is a fixed point around which priorities align and 2026 roadmaps take shape, with decisions made this week resonating long after the show floor clears. That preparation is most visible in the magnificent stands your teams have imagined, refined and delivered this year. Months of hard work culminate in 72 hours during which the show floor becomes a vibrant, fully realised mini-city of colour, structure and energy. Today’s inaugural StandOut Awards celebrate the creativity and craftsmanship behind these three-day marvels – look out for the winners in tomorrow’s ICE Daily. Planning also underpins the many changes you’ll have noticed in your official show newspaper. Now produced in-house by the iGB team, the Daily has been totally reimagined for 2026. The expanded format introduces a refreshed design, clearer navigation, new sections, dedicated first-time exhibitor listings and exclusive interviews, with news thoughtfully split between event information and show-floor coverage. It’s a bold new direction, and one we hope reflects the world’s biggest gaming show. Speaking of bold moves, visitors passing by 5S44 in Hall 5 will see the most visible change of all at our stand: a new name, logo and livery. Months in the making, it’s a strategic shift that World Gaming Managing Director Alex Pratt will explore further on this page tomorrow. Until then, enjoy day two of ICE. Nothing at ICE happens by accident – from the stands you admire to the changes you’re reading about, it all starts with preparation Plan, plan, and plan some more Guy Parsons Editor, ICE Daily Contents 3 The first word Setting the agenda for day two 5 Event news Speakers, stages and feature areas to watch 9 In the spotlight Parties, people and famous faces 11 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 27 New to ICE Meet the first-time exhibitors making their Barcelona bow 30 The last word Roger Gros closes out the issue#ICE26 Day 2 Keynote 10:00, CC5.1 and partnerships that are enabling these new possibilities. Meakes adds: “How do sports, tech and media ecosystems influence fan engagement, how people experience sports, and the global growth of sports? We will look at sports integrity and safe growth, plus we have a fan engagement panel where we aim to explore not just acquisition but ongoing player engagement. How do we curate really interesting fan experiences?” The gambling industry generates massive amounts of data – but how can this data help us understand our players and enhance their experience? This is a conference that is asking the biggest and most relevant questions for sportsbook operators globally, and aiming to bring the answers. The speaker lineup is predictably excellent, and includes luminaries such as Kingmakers’ Gossy Ukanwoke, Betr’s Joey Levy and Boyle Sports CEO Vlad Kaltenieks. Naturally, no sportsbook conversation would be complete without bringing up prediction markets, and the day closes with a fireside chat on that very subject with Matchbook’s Jesse May, LiveDuel’s Will Martin and WagerWire’s Travis Geiger. “The fireside is all about predictions growth, the regulation of predictions and how the predictions market is growing through collaboration and strategic partnerships with media and sports organisations,” Meakes explains. Of course, for sportsbook operators integrity is vital – not in their offering so much as the integrity of the sports available to bet on, their organising bodies and all of the athletes involved. Hannah concludes: “We’ll be looking into integrity, as it is especially salient ahead of the football World Cup and the Winter Olympics. And Spotlight Sports are delivering a World Cup betting outlook session, which I’m really excited about!” Sports Leaders Conference January 20 5 I CE 2026 sees many innovations and new facets for visitors, including new conference themes and programmes – and among those is the Sports Leaders conference getting underway today. Kicking off with a keynote speech from DAZN CEO Shay Segev (pictured), the agenda is aimed squarely at sportsbook operators from around the world. Conference Producer Hannah Meakes says: “We’re looking at some of the key forces that influence sportsbooks, obvious things like AI, and technology – but also big tech, and sportsbook integrations.” The conference is a look at the future of the industry following a period of explosive global growth. The agenda will explore how AI can work within an operation to transform a business; building sustainable industries and reaching new markets; and much more. Community and belonging are key drivers for sports engagement. With the industry seeking to curate fan participation and immersion in innovative ways, the conference will explore the technologies, innovations live environment that focuses on offering both business and social meet-ups, innovative products on show and valuable trend-led content.” Highlights of the two-day event include a keynote brunch on web traffic with Milorad Matejic, COO at Gentoo Media, an off-the-record chat with Camillo Cortesi from Google Ads and a look at what 2026 has in store for the iGaming market and online platform relationship. Event news Setting the betting agenda Opening today, the Sports Leaders conference examines what comes next for sportsbooks worldwide iGB Affiliate opens in new Fira home Continued from page 1 market share, drive growth and navigate global regulatory and emerging market challenges. We do all of this in a #ICE26 A s well as a solid suite of networking events, the ICE DEIB offering also includes a fascinating and in-depth conference. It promises to broaden minds and perspectives to usher in a new kind of business for operators and suppliers. At its heart, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) is about learning from people within your organisation so you can speak to people like them meaningfully and effectively; it also helps find new customers, keep existing ones, and much more. The first day saw two such inspirational and educational sessions: “Levelling Up Leadership: Breaking Cultural Complacency and Boosting Inclusion for Business Gains in Gaming”, followed by “Will AI Be the Catalyst or the Barrier to Neurodiversity in the Workplace?” Day two is arguably even more valuable. The first session is the timely “DEIB Culture Clash: What Happens When Inclusion Gets Political?” This aims to look at how polarised views enter boardrooms and player communities. How can you protect genuine equity and inclusion from ideological backlash without losing momentum or compliance footing? Speakers include Kelly Kehn (co-founder, Defy the Odds), and Tracey Wiley (executive director – diversity equity inclusion, Bally’s). It’s followed by “Beyond the Numbers: The Meaningful Gender Equity Shifts Needed in Gaming” which explores whether progress has been made at balancing the gender gap in our industry, or is surface-level change masking persistent inequality? Speakers include Globant’s Adrianna Samuels and Jo Abergel from Ethical Gambling Forum Conference Manager Damien Ashton- Wellman explained what he was hoping to achieve to ICE Daily: “What we’ve tried to do with our DEIB campaign is really embed it into the communities we serve. “Topic wise, we’re looking at everything from levelling up leadership and building cultural complacency and bridging the gap into wider topics as well; looking at some of the hidden disabilities in the industry, like neurodiversity. But we are contextualising it and thinking about the future, looking at AI – will AI be a catalyst or barrier for neurodiverse individuals in the industry? “That way we can connect the topics into the wider trends. Look at the session ‘When DEIB Becomes Political’; when you look at what’s happening in the US, there’s pretty much a mandate that DEIB is dead, but it still matters so much to the industry. We have a responsibility to ensure we’re championing diverse voices, discovering the next generation of talent and providing them with the environment to nurture and grow.” You can find the DEIB conference sessions on the Pitch ICE stage starting at 14:00, followed by the AAG Multicultural Mixer at 16:00, and the GGW brunch and talk is Wednesday morning at 10:30. DEIB at ICE January 20-21 EVENT NEWS 6 DEIB drives strong conference and networking sessions ICE’s DEIB programme delivers impactful debate and learning across three days Tribal voices lead US gaming debate ICE provides a global platform for tribal gaming’s growing influence T ribal gaming has grown to become a $50 billion industry and has a major say in the future of gambling in the US. But Native American operations are about more than just their domestic market, as we see with a strong ICE presence and a packed – and emotional – afternoon seminar today. The seminar – in partnership with the Indian Gaming Association and Pechanga.net – kicks off with a remembrance event for the much-loved Ernie Stevens, who died late last year. It’s a 15-minute celebration of Ernie’s life and legacy. The first seminar session this afternoon is dedicated to California’s battle against unregulated gambling, chaired by IGA conference chairman Victor Rocha; then it’s a session about prediction markets and the clash with tribal and state rights; and finally, how tribal operators are working with other organisations to create partnerships that strengthen all involved parties. Victor Rocha elaborates on the strong links between ICE and the IGA: “ICE is one of the most important shows in the world, and it’s important in America because it allows us to see the global market without American blinders on. We get to see what is coming down the road and that’s why ICE is so important.” Tribal Partnerships Seminar January 20#ICE26 EVENT NEWS 7 Recognising excellence in land-based casinos A short, focused awards ceremony highlights the people powering casino slot floors Y et another new feature (in an event that is absolutely packed with new ideas, or expansions of existing concepts) for guests to enjoy at Landmark Awards celebrate milestones Fifteen honours were presented yesterday, recognising standout contributions across the global gaming sector T he Landmark Awards have secured a place of their own in the ICE calendar since their introduction in 2019. Yesterday, awards were presented to organisations and individuals from a broad cross-section of the sector, spanning suppliers, operators, advisers and industry institutions. Among the companies recognised were Electrocoin, marking its 50th anniversary; IGT, which celebrated its own golden milestone in 2025; Novomatic (45th anniversary); Ficom Leisure (30th anniversary); and Golden Race and Play’n GO, each marking 20 years in the industry. Players Publishing was congratulated for its 15 years’ service and Amusnet was also honoured, having recently celebrated its tenth anniversary. ICE gave a special nod to the Global Gaming Expo (G2E, pictured), which staged its 25th edition in Las Vegas last year. Law firm Asensi Abogados was recognised for 20 years of service to the industry, while gaming machine association Club de Convergentes was similarly acknowledged for its tenth year. A Significant Industry Achievement Award was given to Casinos Grup Peralada to honour the memory of its former executive vice chairman, Miguel Suqué Mateu, one of the most influential and widely respected figures in the gaming and hospitality industry in Spain, who sadly passed away last year. Individual gongs went to Pablo Zuppi, director of Yogonet Group, recipient of the David Orrick ICE Journalist Award; Philippe Vlaemminck of Vlaemminck Law, recognised for nearly four decades shaping gambling regulation; and Carlos Cardama, CEO of GMB Brasil, a leading figure in LatAm gaming since the 1970s. “The Landmark Awards recognise the exceptional milestones achieved by global gaming businesses and outstanding individuals over decades of contribution,” said Clarion’s Stuart Hunter. “These special honours sit outside the traditional awards circuit and are recognised exclusively by ICE, the industry’s flagship global gathering. Through the Landmark Awards, ICE is proud to celebrate the brands and people whose impact has fundamentally shaped the gaming industry into what it is today.” ICE is the ECA Slot Floor Excellence Awards, taking place this afternoon at 17:00 on the Enterprise stage. But this isn’t just another industry awards ceremony, it’s a highly specific pat on the back for some of the unsung heroes of the industry: slot floor managers. The winning concept came from the European Casino Association (ECA) and they ran the awards’ first iteration in 2025 at their superb dealer championship event. Now it’s being integrated into ICE for the first time, it’s a chance for the industry to recognise the teams that are responsible for slot floor excellence in casinos. There are three awards to be presented on stage today: Outstanding Slot Team of the Year; Slot Floor Employee of the Year; and Slot Floor Rising Star of the Year. The categories speak for themselves, while the judges are select members of the ECA, plus representatives from some key equipment suppliers, all armed with considerable top-tier experience to back up their assessments. Clarion’s Stuart Hunter is an enthusiastic supporter. “This is an area that we feel is not well represented from a celebratory perspective around the industry,” he says. “There are plenty of casino awards, lots of iGaming awards, but this is solely looking at slot floors, the management and excellence of it in casinos.” One thing most awards ceremonies are missing in many industries is brevity, but this event will be over in an hour, which some may privately think is cause for celebration in itself. Hunter concludes: “It’s just three awards and a nice intimate reception, highlighting individuals and teams more than businesses, which is always positive. It’s all about the people that do the hard work behind the scenes.” ECA Slot Floor Excellence Awards January 20#ICE26 Pitch perfect moment for new ventures Innovation showcase Pitch ICE brings startups, judges and investors together on a dedicated stage T welve of the most exciting startups looking to make waves in the gambling industry have been assembled for Pitch ICE. The concept is simple: each business gets three minutes to pitch its concept to our industry judges on stage, followed by an intensive three-minute Q&A. This year’s competitors were whittled down from more than 70 applicants and the final selection spans land-based gaming, iGaming, Web3 and compliance. This year’s Pitch ICE is the biggest ever, with its own stage hosting a star lineup of judges. Jeff Miller (managing partner, JJK Partners), Maxime Sbeghen (head of investment, FDJ UNITED Ventures), Meir Shachar (CEO, RUNWAI), and Paris Smith (adviser & gaming industry expert) are the people to impress, but the audience will also include potential investors, partners and industry leaders. No pressure, folks. Talking to ICE Daily, Clarion’s Jamie Coles explained: “This year we’ve really ramped up the Pitch ICE stage. We used to only be able to cater to about 20 attendees and had people literally standing in order to watch the pitches; we’ve now not only got a stage just for the startups’ content, we’ve also doubled the size of the seating space. This is our biggest ever Pitch ICE feature.” The pitches take place today from 11:00 to 12:30. Pitch ICE January 20 EVENT NEWS 8 O ne of the highlights of this year’s ICE is the expanded Esports Arena and Betting Conference. If you haven’t seen it yet, you’re missing out on one of the buzziest, busiest parts of the show floor. Monday’s day one of the Esports tournament (in which teams can win up to $10k in prize money) saw eight teams from around the world go head-to-head at EAFC, formerly known as FIFA. The tournament is a round-robin format, so every team played every other team. Players from Argentina, Czechia, Spain, Netherlands, UK, Italy, Portugal and France faced off to see who made it through to today’s semi-finals. After a series of thrilling encounters, three of the four semi-finalists were decided: Argentina’s Bonanno, England’s Niksneb and Portugal’s Jafonso, with the final place to be decided between Czechia’s Emerickson and France’s LJR Peixoto ahead of today’s midday final. The Esports Arena launched at ICE 2020 with a Counter-Strike tournament, and the content has changed every year since. As it’s a World Cup year, EAFC made perfect sense. William Harding, Clarion’s head of emerging technology and esports, said: “We have our main partners and sponsors Oddin.gg, an oddsmaker. It’s allowed us to do something quite unique, with the odds on display while the games Esports brings the buzz An expanded arena, live tournament action and a forward-looking conference underline esports’ growing role at ICE are going on, with live changing odds. It’s a representation of how esports works. Without Oddin’s technology integration it would just be an esports tournament – now it’s an esports tournament catered for our B2B gaming population.” One of the highlights of the show will again be Oddin’s Bookmaker Wars, taking place today. Harding elaborates: “Oddin goes out to operators they work with and asks who wants to play, and they play their own separate tournament for bragging rights in the industry. It’s a lot of fun!” Exhibitors can also enter players, and this aims to build on a successful debut at last year’s ICE. The Bookmakers Cup promises to be a fun, competitive, and community-driven highlight of the ICE Esports Arena schedule. We haven’t even got into the talky stuff yet. Kicking off at 14:00 today, the conference explores how to use data analytics and AI to transform engagement and betting models; examines integrity, an evergreen topic in the space; and what’s coming in the future for the sector. There’s also a not-to-be-missed keynote to close the day which sees Stefan Kastenmüller talk about how chess creator content and influencer brands, such as GothamChess (who coincidentally is appearing at BETBY’s stand today), are transforming brand leadership and marketing. Harding concludes: “We’ve got the Esports Integrity Commission giving one of the most intriguing talks of the day – they do an update for us every year. They work as an adjudicator and prevention system and they work with operators and the publishers to counter match-fixing, doping and more. They really understand the growth of what’s happening in esports tournaments and they can understand where the pitfalls are, where the dangers are for the sector to make sure that it’s still operating at a very high level of integrity.” ICE Esports Arena January 20-21 Esports Betting Conference January 20#ICE26 9 In the spotlight ICE in full flow: faces, festivities and floor- filling moments W orld Gaming Week opened in style with a glittering Opening Gala for regulators and senior executives at Casa La Llotja de Mar. Dialling back the glitz but no less glamorous were the ICE Welcome Drinks at Time Out Market, where DJs, lively networking and standout food set the tone for a week defined by connection and celebration. ICE Welcome Drinks World Gaming GalaNext >