Following last week’s news that Clarion Gaming is moving one of the largest conferences and shows in the gaming industry, the International Casino Exhibition (ICE) to Barcelona from 2025, it was reported on August 7th that Zitro, the leading slots developer with an office in Spain, supported the decision.

Sebastian Salat, Global President at Zitro, gave the following statement: “We fully support Clarion’s announcement to relocate ICE to the vibrant City of Barcelona, a destination we firmly believe is perfectly equipped to host the future editions of ICE. We believe this move will be a major step helping both ICE and the Industry to grow in partnership with the European gaming market. It will also increase the global dimension of ICE, as moving ICE to Spain will undoubtedly draw a higher number of Latin American operators, due to emotional and cultural links between Spain and Latin American countries.”

The relocation has been discussed for some time

Even though the potential move of ICE to some other European city has been under consideration for some time, the aforementioned decision was a new perspective for the entire sector.

In this regard, Salat added: “Over the years, ICE London has established itself as a resounding success in the gaming industry, gathering leaders, suppliers, operators, and gaming professionals from around the globe. It has grown in status as the most important trade show in Europe and has proven to be the ideal space to cultivate business relationships, and creating new opportunities for companies to expand their global reach. However, a good number of exhibitors, including Zitro, have realized significant challenges such as insufficient space venue for future growth, logistic complexities, and extremely high costs. Those challenges were communicated to Clarion and we were delighted this contributed to formal review through the recent bid process.”

One of the biggest European regulated markets today

The decision was also hailed as a good one as Spain represents one of Europe’s biggest regulated markets today, meaning in the online and land-based sectors, resulting in Barcelona being an ideal hub for European gaming firms. Also, the city is considered one of the key European tourist destinations, together with its top-quality facilities, logistics and extraordinary hospitality infrastructure, which proves that ICE 2025 will be a very rich experience.

Commenting on the beauty of Barcelona, the company notes: “The city’s captivating blend of rich cultural heritage, iconic landmarks, and vibrant atmosphere, offers attendees the perfect opportunity to complement their ICE experience.”

Source: “Zitro Comments On The Relocation Of ICE Show To Barcelona”. European Gaming. August 7, 2023

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Clarion Gaming has announced an extension of its important partnership with the European Casino Association (ECA), a European trade body for land-based casino companies. As announced, the new deal will run through 2029.

Under the agreement, the ECA will continue to host the International Casino Conference (ICC) at ICE, Clarion’s annual trade exhibition. As usual, the conference will launch a day before the main ICE show and will welcome casino leaders from all around the world.

The event is attended by major stakeholders of big companies and executives of some of the best casino operators. As before, the VIP representatives will discuss the latest developments in the sector and the future of the industry as a whole.

For reference, the ICC is a part of the ICE VOX conference and networking program.

The Two Parties Are Delighted to Extend their Alliance

Alex Pratt, Clarion Gaming’s group managing director, commented on the agreement with the ECA, saying that it is an important partner of Clarion. According to him, the association’s presence is integral to ICE, with the ICC being one of the most important events for land-based casino companies.

Pratt attributed some of ICE’s growth to the presence of the ECA and its members at the event.

The fact that ICE continues to grow and continues to attract international thought leaders, influencers and senior buyers is due in no small part to the contributions made by the ECA and its members.

Alex Pratt, group managing director, Clarion Gaming

Stuart Hunter, Clarion Gaming’s managing director, also shared his thoughts on the matter, underlining the importance of working with the industry. He said that the cornerstone of ICE’s philosophy is the provision of the “very best professional business environment” for all of the verticals that Clarion serves.

Finally, Erwin van Lambaart, chair of the European Casino Association, said that his party is delighted to continue this partnership. He described the deal with Clarion as an alliance that his team deeply cherishes.

Since its foundation, this collaboration has consistently contributed to the growth and prosperity of the land-based casino industry, supporting the European Casino Association’s efforts to be the voice of the European industry at the national, regional and EU level.

Erwin van Lambaart, chair, ECA

Van Lambaart was elected as chair of the association earlier this year, following Per Jaldung’s departure from the position. Back then, van Lambaart promised that he will work with ECA’s members, board and partners on the priorities for the future work of the association – a sentiment reflected in the current deal extension with Clarion.

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