Event

ICE Totally Gaming 2013

ExCel London Exhibition Centre – United Kingdom

Event Information

The ICE Totally Gaming trade show closed its doors yesterday afternoon after a three-day run in its new location, the ExCeL centre in London’s Docklands.

As thousands of UK and foreign visitors wended their way home last night, the hundreds of exhibitors counted the sales and the potential leads – and pretty well everyone was very positive.

Moving to ExCeL from Earls Court was forced on ICE organizers Clarion Events, but it was not without criticism from those who feared the longer journey out of London’s centre would have a negative impact. While statistics on the attendance are not yet available, it was clear that the show was very crowded indeed. The sheer number of enthusiastic reactions from exhibitors and the quantity of landmark deals and partnerships concluded and announced during the show indicates that ICE 2013 has been a triumph for Clarion.

Trends?  The further growth of eGaming was predictable and duly delivered and there is little question that internet gambling has become the senior element in the entire gambling offering for the international market. The statistics will probably also show a marked increase in the number of non-UK visitors, with an influx of 1,000 German visitors noted in the Show Daily newspaper, put out by InterGame.

Perhaps the one element of regret about the old days which was precisely summed up, was from a German street operator, who commented: “ExCeL is much, much better than Earls Court. It has to be said that while Earls Court was outdated, it did at least feel ‘in London’ while ExCeL does not.” Most, however, did not regard this as an insurmountable problem.

ICE has its new home; and its new home has been given the overall seal of approval by the industry. Next year the show will move again, but only within the same location. The elongated show floor, stretching down one side of ExCeL will be shortened but the opposite side of the central Boulevard will be opened up.

Net effect: From utilising halls S1-22 and the Auditorium, Clarion will in 2014 use S1-14, but also N1-14 opposite, effectively enclosing a long section of the Boulevard into the show floor. It will also grow 10 per cent on what is already, in terms of exhibit space, the largest gambling trade show in the world.

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