With more than 400 exhibitors drawn from the international betting, bingo, casino, lottery, mobile, online and street gaming sectors occupying around 20,000sq.m of floor space, visitors making the journey to ICE 2011 do so safe in the knowledge that they will be witness to the most comprehensive display of gaming products ever housed under one roof.
On the show floor a record 54 countries - more than double the 26 at November’s Global Gaming Expo - are represented by exhibitors, an amazing fact which goes way beyond just exhibition statistics. In real business terms it means that whatever is taking place anywhere in the entire world of gaming is being demonstrated by exhibitors at ICE. The very clear message is ‘come to ICE and see the world of gaming’.
With an unrivalled track record of drawing international buyers to London - over the last decade the show has attracted 180,000 visitors from a total of 180 visitor territories - Kate Chambers, show director responsible for ICE, is confident that the entire global industry will be represented at Earls Court.
She said: "Despite the recession, ICE 2010 succeeded in maintaining attendance levels at above 90 per cent of the preceding year’s record-breaking tally of 20,707. Furthermore, the number of sovereign territories represented in 2010 held firm at 123 and exhibitor feedback confirmed the quality of buyers remained constant. Our level of pre-registration has been very strong and we have been working hard to convert these into physical attendees."
The roll call of gaming dignitaries attending ICE reflects the high esteem with which the show is regarded. The inaugural ICE CEO Debate, organised in conjunction with the International Association of Gaming Advisors, features thought leaders including Richard Haddrill, CEO of Bally Technologies, Patti Hart, CEO of IGT, Jim Ryan, CEO of Party Gaming, and Constantinos Antonopoulos, CEO of Intralot.
Clarion has also put together a seven-strong programme of ICE conferences dealing with really important issues such as how casinos can take advantage of mobile gaming and use social media to engage with a younger audience and retain customers.
The third annual International Casino Conference, in partnership with the European Casino Association, was also part of the programme. The ICC, which took place yesterday, examinied how operators can marry land-based and online gaming using Casino Gran Madrid as a case study, as well as strategies to increase customer spend in the ongoing economic downturn.
Kate Chambers believes that the beauty of exhibitions lies in their ability to surprise and throw up the unusual. She explained: "What visitors really value about ICE is that trends start at the show. Every single break-through product that’s impacted the industry has been shown at ICE and it’s a certainty that the hit product of 2011 will be found somewhere on this show floor: exactly where and by whom is another matter entirely!
"Our approach has always been and will always be to work with the market to build and create events that will make a telling contribution to businesses. To this end I would like to thank the European Casino Association, National Casino Industry Forum, eCogra, European Gaming and Betting Association, Association of British Bookmakers, Irish Bookmakers Association, Independent Bookmakers Association, European Sports Security Association, Business In Sport And Leisure and of course our many, many friends in the international gaming media for their fantastic support in helping to make ICE Totally Gaming what it is today."
