iGB Affiliate is following ICE to Barcelona for its 2025 conference. What was the process of moving iGB Affiliate like?
It was an incredibly rigorous decision-making process to reach this decision, which was undertaken in total partnership with our customers. While our iGaming Affiliate customers were happy in London, their overriding desire was to remain alongside ICE. That represented the ‘non-negotiable,’ and once it was clear that Barcelona had won through what was an exhaustive selection process (which at the outset attracted the interest of 30 bidding cities) the decision was made and it
was a case of getting on with what is a huge logistical challenge. Clarion Gaming has an incredibly talented operations team that has been working relentlessly toensure the move was as smooth as possible. We opened an office in Spain, which meant we have been able to shadow our outstanding partners at Fira Barcelona, who have helped host four customer orientation days in 2024. Both the venue and iGB Affiliate (iGBA) teams are extremely excited to be hosting this important industry event in Barcelona and opening up a host of new opportunities for the international affiliate community.
What did you find were the biggest challenges with the move?
Any change always represents a challenge, particularly when people have been used to a familiar venue/city. As a consequence, it was really important we operated a thorough selection process and that the decision on the host city was the right one for our stakeholders. That process also involved clear communications coupled with a thorough mapping out of the customer journey from arrival into Barcelona, the journey to the venue and subsequent navigation within the venue. ICE and iGBA will host the greatest gathering of global gaming professionals that has ever taken place. This also means ensuring that the city’s infrastructure and our supplier partners would be able to deliver the same standards that have become synonymous with both events.
Were there any parts of the relocation you found less challenging than you were expecting?
Despite iGBA customers being largely satisfied with the event being held in London, the fact is the motivation was the desire to remain alongside ICE for the global reach and networking/crossover opportunities. As a consequence, once the decision was made it was embraced by the community. In addition, some of our new Spanish suppliers and partners have offered substantial support to ensure the event experience really is delivered to the highest standards possible.
When planning an event specifically for affiliates, what factors have to be considered that differ from other verticals in the industry?
The iGaming affiliate sector is ALL about trust-based partnerships, whether that’s brokering new ones, servicing existing relationships or peer learning. Affiliates prefer to develop those relationships face to face. We are privileged to work with a very human and networking-focused community, which means we spend a lot of time talking to customers, gathering insight about what they need and want, understanding their pain-points and creating new and effective ways of connecting them.Because the sector is fast-moving and dynamic we need to equip our customers with the right tools and knowledge to
enable them to navigate ever-changing regulation and compliance requirements. It also means delivering the industry experts who can plot out the future and help provide the intelligence required to enter new markets. The opportunities offered in Latin America will be at the fore in January when attendees will have access to the policymakers, decision-makers and thought leaders who are active in the region.
Attending iGBA equips affiliates with the tool kits they need to be ahead of the game.
Did the fact that iGB L!ve is now moving from Amsterdam to London make the move for iGB Affiliate smoother or easier?
Amsterdam was a popular home for iGB L!VE but the UK is home to the largest regulated iGaming market globally, and many customers were telling us that they wanted and needed an event in London. London’s global connectivity, financial prowess, cultural richness, diversity and technological innovation means iGB L!VE can grow and thrive here. Essentially, Clarion Gaming customers have the best of both worlds, with IGB L!VE in London and iGBA in Barcelona as part of the World Gaming Festival alongside ICE.
How did you balance moving two shows to two new locations and did bringing iGB L!VE to a location you are already familiar with make the job easier?
I am honestly in awe of the entire iGB Events team. Undertaking the relocation of two major events to two new locations requires a huge collective effort, an enormous amount of hard work and meticulous planning. Execution is the real differentiator in business – and the iGB Events team has worked tirelessly to make it happen. Our UK partners and suppliers including ExCeL and our UK hotel provider EventBeds have been exceptionally focused on offering the best and most cost-effective deals for our customers in a city they are very familiar with already. Having existing relationships and working together for the same goal of saving customers money and offering really strong ROI has made the job easier.
For any iGB Affiliate veterans, what can they expect to be different this time around?
Moving to Barcelona offers a whole new customer experience. The city, famous for its beautiful architecture, stunning food and exceptional bars and restaurants provides us with the opportunity to surprise and delight our customers. Nighttime events in a more temperate Barcelona mean we can make greater use of outside space. We have worked closely with the city to make maximum use of these features of the Barcelona experience.
The venue itself is one of the most exciting and contemporary in Europe and provides both the room to grow and to introduce new engaging features.
If you had to describe the experience iGB Affiliate 2025 aims to provide visitors, what would it be and why?
I am incredibly passionate about the customer experience – both for our visitors and our vendors. All our customers deserve a world-class experience, whether they are attending one of the iGB shows as a visitor or participating as an exhibitor or a sponsor. It’s our job to provide this – we are absolutely committed to delivering value not just via the leads that we can offer, but also in terms of the experience pre-show, onsite and year-round. We recognise that our customers have many events to choose from – so we absolutely have to prioritise delivering the best, most inspirational experience and the highest satisfaction, alongside strong business leads and networking opportunities at both iGB Affiliate and iGB L!VE. We will always have a sharp focus on delivering even more value and ROI for customers, exceeding their expectations and ensuring they can make great business connections in an ultra-professional environment.
