ICE enjoys happy 21st

Totally Gaming celebrated its 21st birthday last week with the usual array of industry-leading exhibitors, high quality conferences and major announcements.

The annual show, which took place between 3-5 February at ExCel London, attracted over 500 exhibitors, nearly half of which were online-focused firms, highlighting the nature of the event’s evolution over the past decade.

However of those many exhibitors it was a primarily land-based company, supplier Novomatic, which boasted the biggest stand. Indeed, the firm itself claimed it was the “largest stand at any gaming trade show in history”.

However it isn’t just the size of your stand that matters, it’s also about what you do with your show time. Supplier Intralot made good use of theirs, presenting a new CEO and announcing a strategic partnership with, and investment in, provider Bit8.

Famous faces are a staple of ICE week, and this year saw provider SBTech showcase former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield as part of a new brand launch, while footballers Angelo Di Livio and Paul Merson were at the show helping to promote PlanetWin365 and Credorax respectively.

Away from the buzz of the main show floor, a number of media briefings took place across the three days, with the likes of Playtech and Microgaming on hand to outline their respective plans, innovations and visions to journalists. Playtech CEO Mor Weizer spoke of the importance of using player data and his belief in an “omni-channel” approach, while Microgaming showcased its various ongoing innovations relating to augmented reality and wearable technology, presenting a selection of impressively immersive games and devices.

One of the most popular aspects of ICE remains its plethora of all-encompassing premium conferences. These well-attended talks covered some of the biggest issues in the industry today, including cybercrime, data, multi-channel gaming and regulation.

Kate Chambers, portfolio director responsible for ICE said: “This was the best event that I have been involved with in my 25-year career in the exhibitions sector. The opening day set the standard with some 18,000 visitors coming through the doors at ExCeL. The enthusiasm for ICE was evident across the board, from exhibitors and visitors alike. We have a winning formula, with ICE proving the ideal showcase for the international gaming industry.”

For a detailed photo review of this year’s ICE Totally Gaming show, make sure you read the forthcoming issue of Gambling Insider magazine.