Games Magazine Brasil - What expectations do you have for this year's ICE? How do you plan to surprise the industry this year?
Stuart Hunter - Taking into account ICE and its sister show iGB Affiliate all of the space available at ExCeL London has been sold. In addition to our circa 700 exhibitors we will also have a record number of sponsors, media and trade association partners. We have enhanced existing features such as the Esports Arena and the Consumer Protection Zone at the same time as introducing two completely new features which I am sure visitors will enjoy.
Fast Forward which is new for 2024 will provide a focal point where the gaming industry can discover, discuss and shape the future. It’s a place where the technology of tomorrow will be showcased to the people who are going to be bringing it to market. It’s a meeting place where those active in moving the industry into a positive future can connect with like-minded individuals. Fast Future is aimed at start-ups wanting to connect with potential investors, positive-disruptors who are bringing new ways of doing business and/or game-changing technologies to market and at organisations and individuals who are currently or are wishing to introduce Diversity Equity and Inclusion undertakings to the workplace. Fast Forward is for thinkers, thought-leaders, doer’s, disruptors, creators, explorers, serial entrepreneurs and the visionaries who keep the industry moving at break-neck speed. In fact, in many ways, Fast Forward encapsulates what ICE is all about!
Our latest initiative to deliver more connections between businesses across the international gaming industry has seen the development of the Growth Markets Zone. Providing a focus for businesses active in or targeting Latin America and Africa, the Growth Markets Zone will provide a place for suppliers to meet and connect with international businesses. We always work in partnership with our stakeholders to deliver initiatives which will help them to meet their business objectives and the Growth Markets Zone will serve as the ‘go to’ location for those interested in the significant business opportunities which exist in LatAm and Africa.
I think ICE 2024 will go down in history as being an ‘I was there ‘event. There’s no doubt that it will be a poignant occasion for many of our exhibitors who will be saying their own farewell to London. We have organised a special farewell party for ICE London and iGB Affiliate London on Tuesday 6th February. It will host 5,000 VIP guests and will feature several internationally recognized music artists. It’s a ticketed event and will be the only official party in town.
Ultimately, the reason why so many international industry professionals want to be part of ICE/iGB Affiliate is down to the quality and the calibre of our exhibitors. When visitors attend ICE they know that they will see and have access to the very best gaming brands and the leading industry innovators found anywhere in the world. Our theme for ICE 2024 is MORE – which is exactly what visitors will experience: MORE connections, MORE insight, MORE inspiration and as a consequence MORE business opportunities. For so many reasons ICE 2024 is not to be missed!
How does the expo evolve each year to meet the ever-changing demands of the industry?
Exhibitions and live events in general have to evolve in order to remain relevant. Industry professionals from throughout the world want to be a part of ICE because it’s fresh, invigorating and full of opportunity. Take for example ICE VOX which has to be contemporary and topical to be relevant. This year’s edition has been widely acclaimed for being the most impressive on record.
The programme comprises three high profile conferences - the World Regulatory Briefing (WrB) the International Casino Conference (ICC) and the Esports Betting Conference which is in addition to four deep-dive workshops entitled Safer Gaming, Entering New Markets, the iGaming Customer Journey and Innovating Lotteries.
In total it features expert insights from more than 150 thought leaders, policy-makers, industry commentators, trade body CEOs and politicians which is more than ever before. However, It’s not just the number of thought leaders that we have brought together that’s unprecedented it’s also the standing and status of the ICE VOX speakers which reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of international gaming. ICE VOX 2024 will deliver MORE content and inspiration than ever before making it one of those extremely rare events which industry leaders cannot and do not miss. I believe that ICE VOX is the most influential event of its type in world gaming which is due to the topicality of content and the calibre of speakers. ICE VOX was described by award winning former Financial Times journalist Nadine Dereza as being the Davos of Gaming a description which I think is totally appropriate.
Esports is another example. The Esports Arena, which is one of the most popular features on the show floor, is all about delivering authenticity and using the in-person experience to bring the business-building opportunities delivered by Esports to life. Our theme for 2024 is F1 and we will have two professional racers competing head-to-head to demonstrate the dynamic world of Esports racing. Attendees will also be able to immerse themselves in VR and haptic feedback racing, compete on four connected simulated rigs and participate in a Pit Stop Challenge.
In addition to the Arena delegates will be able to participate in the Esports Betting Conference (EBC) which is taking place on 8 February at the ICC Capital Suite, part of ExCeL London. The Conference, which is being supported by headline sponsor DATA.BET, comprises a blend of issues and topics including insights on the status of Esports in the Americas, data integrity and how to maximise its value as well as an exclusive session delivered by Rivalry which will unpack market leading practices for engaging with Gen Z. The Conference unlocks the immense potential which exists at the crossroads of esports and betting. It will put industry professionals wishing to understand the dynamics driving this phenomenon in pole position by drawing on the expert insights of pioneer brands. ICE is a brand which looks to the future and isn’t locked in the past.
What trends or technological innovations do you perceive to be the most popular in this edition of the fair? AI (Artificial Intelligence), AR (Augmented Reality), or others?
All of the above and much MORE!
A unique characteristic of ICE is the fact that it represents every gaming vertical across every global jurisdiction. As a consequence, it serves as a marketplace for all of the technology advancement the industry has to offer. ICE 2024 will be a shopwindow for the very latest innovations delivering many thousands of ‘first to market’ exclusives. One thing for certain is that courtesy of the leading innovators who will be on the ICE show floor – there will be an invaluable, once a year opportunity to source product for every single gaming sector. ICE Is the global marketplace where innovators choose to launch their game-changing, entertainment-defining products which explains why so many international industry professionals consider ICE to be a ‘must attend."
Being the first event after the final approval of the Brazilian market regulation, do you imagine that "Brazil" will be the major topic of interest at ICE 2024?
Absolutely. There is a great deal of interest in LatAm but there is a special focus on Brasil and Peru. I think I’m correct in stating that online regulation in Peru comes into force during the second week of February so ICE arrives at a very symbolic time.
Do you foresee increased participation from Brazilian companies or executives this year? Are there panels with experts dedicated to this market?
We are expecting a significant delegation from Brazil and will facilitate more connections between the regional industry and the international industry seeking to enter or to expand in Latin America and Brazil.
In fact the content programme at ICE VOX is packed with discussions and panels dedicated to the region. On Tuesday 6th February WrB has a session entitled: “Ordem e Progresso? Analyzing the New Regulatory Environment for Gaming in Brazil. This will look at the eligibility and application process for Brazilian gambling licences, the fees, taxation and regulatory standards for operators and the legal loopholes that allow companies to operate at the state level but accept customers from all over Brazil. This panel will be presented in Portuguese with simultaneous translation and feature contributions from Gildo Mazza, Editor - Games Magazine Brasil, Roberto Carvalho Brasil Fernandes, Founder - Brasil Fernandes Advogados, José Francisco Manssur, Special Advisor - Brazilian Ministry of Finance, Ronan Moreira, President - Loteria do Estado de Minas Gerais (LEMG) and Ari Celia, Adviser & Board Member - Pay4Fun.
Between 14:45 and 15.15 the new Growth Markets Zone- (S9-330) will explore the state of the Brazilian industry and at 16.30 at the ICE VOX World Pavillion there will be the ICE VOX Americas networking drinks.
On Wednesday, the middle day of ICE, part of the Entering New Markets Workshop will feature a case study on the results of sports partnerships in Brazil and will include insights from Javier Troncoso, Chief Commercial Officer, Futbol Sites; Felipe Fraga, Chief Business Officer, EstrelaBet; Graciela Garay, Ethics and Compliance Director, CONMEBOL and Maksym Tsaryk, Head of Brazil – Growe.
At 16.30 we have a LatAm Network Reception, Growth Markets Zone- S9-330 at which delegates can Network with established players and emerging markets executives, forge strategic partnerships, and explore the vast potential of these untapped markets.
Also on Wednesday, in South Gallery Room 15, we are running a seminar in collaboration with IBJR-Brazilian Institute of responsible gaming. The seminar Brazil Future is Now will take a Macroeconomic deep dive on Brazil’s current Political and Economic Outlook, provide an understanding of Brazilian regulation and its compliance requirements and look at the onshore reality from a competitive, and commercial perspective.
Is it possible to think of ICE Brazil or ICE Latam, held in Rio or São Paulo in the near future? Now that the market is regulated, is Clarion considering a stronger presence in this region where it already has its event and other companies operate?
Clarion has a long-standing affinity with and has been and supportive of Latin America, The Caribbean and of course Brazil. Our strategy is to connect the entire gaming industry with outstanding content and features such as the Growth Market Zone which is being launched at ICE 2024. Across our portfolio we are focused on being able to provide the gaming community with the most updated information for doing business in the Brazil, Latin America and the Caribbean, taking into account operational, cultural, regulatory and strategic factors. We will also have a team at GAT Cartagena and BiS Sao Paulo.
What are the plans for ICE in Barcelona, and how do you foresee the transition of the event to this new location? How did the industry respond to this change of venue?
The motivation for the relocation to Barcelona came from our exhibitors and the process for selecting Barcelona was overseen by an independent specialist agency. I believe the move will provide the industry with the next era of Gaming evolution. Barcelona allows ICE and the industry to grow, to adapt and to engage in a festival of gaming, both at show and in the Catalan city whom are partners for ICE Barcelona 2025. It will be the catalyst for the global industry to unite and move collectively towards even greater opportunities.
The gaming industry moves at lightning speed, it is one of the fastest adopters of new technology, it’s dynamic and ambitious. ICE is all of those things too and as the leading platform for the industry being more centrally located in mainland Europe and in many ways more accessible to a wider range of gaming professionals, is crucial to fulfil that potential.
The response from the industry has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive. They understand the process that we went through, respected the data that arose from what was a huge and complex project and some have now seen for themselves the opportunities that await in Barcelona. We will share more of this excitement and information after ICE this year as we embark on the Road to ICE Barcelona 2025.
Source: Exclusive GMB
