London, oh dear

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STUART HUNTER From April, 11- 14, the capital of the United Kingdom is once again the gaming heart, thanks to Ice Vox, Ice London and Igb Affiliate London. For what is considered by many parties a long-awaited return, as explained by the organizers of Clarion gaming.

By Francesca Mancosu

After two years of uncertainty, postponements and online events or in hybrid format, even the world of fairs dedicated to gaming continues to return to normal and in presence, with lots of enthusiasm and new goals to achieve. Two of the main events for the sector are no exception: Ice and Igb Affiliate, scheduled, with their various fallout, between 11 and 14 April at Excel London. Here is how the 2022 editions will take place in the words of Stuart Hunter, Ceo of Clarion Gaming, and Naomi Barton, portfolio director and head of the iGb brand of the group.

How does it feel to finally be back in London? “As you can imagine it feels really positive. After such a long absence and having to deal with so many issues outside of our control it’s great to finally be able to focus on presenting what remains the biggest business-to-business gambling event in the world. Despite all of the various challenges facing the international gambling business community Ice London will host more exhibitors, more brands and more decision-makers than any other gambling event in the world. Those stand-out credentials are also recognised by our community of international visitors both anecdotally and in the pre-registration figures which are tracking above the like-for-like volumes recorded for the February 2020 show. We are in close contact with our community of exhibitors and visitors and to a person they are looking forward to being able to reconnect with their customers and suppliers in a live environment. This chimes with our experience running iGB Live! in Amsterdam last Autumn which demonstrated quite how much the industry has missed the opportunity to meet face-to-face and the huge commercial value of being able to do so. As a team we are looking forward

HUNTER: «TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY FOR A GENUINELY UNMISSABLE EXPERIENCE»

to marking the return of the industry in the company of the industry when it meets in London”. How is this fair different from previous editions of Ice London? “Visitors will experience a different version of Ice London but still one that delivers an outstanding experience. Ice has always set the tone for the year ahead and the stands at ExCeL London will be brimming with the projected 1,800 new products and services that have the potential to transform the industry. This year marks the fourth edition of the Consumer Protection Zone which was introduced to the show floor in 2018. The Zone will be bigger than in previous years and will take-up a new prominent position in close proximity to the central boulevard. It will host leading safer gambling charities comprising Gordon Moody, GamCare, YGAM, Responsible Gambling Council and Gamstop together with suppliers including Future Anthem, Gamblewise, Mindway AI, Casino Guru, TruNarrative, BeBettor, W2 and Crucial Compliance. The focus has been on making the Consumer Protection Zone more attractive and relevant to Ice visitors who can come to find specific solutions to their Responsible Gambling approaches. Led by Ewa Bakun, who is Clarion Gaming’s Director of Industry Insight and Engagement, we are fund-raising for the third year and have opened the fund to a broader spectrum of companies. In 2019 we raised £35,000 which rose to £65,000 in 2020 and we are hoping that it will be possible to surpass that total. Bet365, Kindred, GVC, Videoslots, Sky Betting and Gaming and IMG Arena have all pledged £6,000 contributions and we anticipate more sponsors will join the effort. The success of the Consumer Protection Zone clearly demonstrates that safer gambling really is at the heart of our industry”. What are the main events scheduled during the fair? “The Ice London experience is underpinned by technology, innovation and opportunity. Visitors will have access to initiatives such as Pitch Ice, the International Casino Conference, World Regulatory Briefing, the Ice Vox conference programme, the expanded Consumer Protection Zone, and our brand-new Hosted Meetings Programme. In addition, there will be no better place for executives in the gaming and gambling industry to receive a comprehensive understanding of the esports phenomenon and how their businesses can benefit from it”. Can you tell us more about Ice Vox? “Ice Vox provides world class insight delivered by industry thought leaders and it has proven itself to be absolutely integral to the Ice experience. This year we have amended the agenda in order to deliver highly targeted Masterclasses covering a range of business critical topics, which will be discussed and explored in full. The Masterclass programme has been curated in a way that allows delegates to select and participate in more intimate discussions covering key business issues, without interfering with their exhibition and meeting schedule on the show floor. This way they can participate fully in the totality of the London experience. Each of the nine Masterclasses has been capped at 50 participants in order to facilitate more valuable discussions. Topics being covered include: The Customer Journey (landbased and online); Responsible Gambling; Customer Acquisition; Global Market Roundtables; Vertical Integration; How To Build A Blockbuster Slot; Crime, Fraud and Esports and the LatAM Masterclass. Full details including how to register can be found here: https://www.icelondon.uk.com/ice-vox” One final message? “I think the core message has to be that despite the difficulties facing the industry and the unavoidable problems concerning our enforced temporary dates, Ice London 2022 will be the biggest gathering of the international industry since the last edition of Ice two years ago. Data from the broader events industry confirm that nearly seven out of ten buyers (69%) will recommend brands that they have engaged with at live events and there’s no doubt that the return of Ice London represents a major opportunity for businesses to bounce-back after the difficulties of the last two years. Ice has a hard earned reputation for being the place where innovators choose to launch products and services that can be described as game-changers. Senior members of the industry such as Laurent Lassiaz, Ceo Joa Group, described Ice as being ‘the place to be inspired’ whether that’s by discovering new ways of doing things, finding new genres of equipment, having access to previously unpublished data or courtesy of insights from thought-leaders. When these qualities come together Ice is genuinely unmissable”. Ice London (12-14 April 2022, ExCeL London) is the biggest b2b gambling industry event in the world and features games creators, distributors, operators, retailers, trade associations, strategic bodies and regulators. To find out more, visit the link:

BARTON: «THE MOST INTERNATIONAL EVENT EVER RECORDED WITH 76 COUNTRIES PRESENT»

“It has been a long time coming and all of the team is really looking forward to welcoming the Igb Affiliate community to what’s also their home. The 2022 edition has continued to grow, and the show will also be the most international event on record with pre-registration from industry professionals based in a total of 76 countries. This will make it one of the most international gambling industry events in the world, ranking alongside sister events Ice London and iGB Live!”. Naomi Barton, portfolio director and head of the iGb >

NAOMI BARTON

iGb Affiliate London

(13-14 April 2022, ExCeL gramme and plenty of networking opportuLondon) connects affiliates to a 360 degree iGaming experience, through networking and lead generation, content and learning opportunities. To find out more, visit the link: brand for Clarion gaming, provides an overview of the scope of Igb Affiliate London, scheduled for April, 13 and 14, at ExCel London. Can you give us some numbers on the next edition of iGB Affiliate London? “In terms of the occupational breakdown 73% of people registering to attend classify themselves as C-Level decision-makers, with nearly one third (28.7%) of the total set to attend iGB Affiliate London for the first time. The level of US representation is also significant with close to half of the total (43.1%) operating on the other side of the Atlantic. In terms of sector interests the highest percentage of those pre-registering (77%) have confirmed a primary interest in casino games, followed by sports betting (61%) and esports (23.8%). We enjoyed a very successful edition of igb Live! in Autumn 2021 and the metrics indicate that momentum is being carried forward to April 2022 when the industry will re-connect in London. With the last month representing the hot spot for registrations all of the data is pointing in the right direction”. Your site states that your mission is to provide “affiliates with the skills, partnerships and knowledge they need to be a profitable leader in the ever-evolving igaming industry.” How is this objective realized? “What you are really talking about here is how in-person events such as igb Affiliate Londo work and what they deliver. Really strong business exhibitions succeed by attracting the right audience to meet with a blend of tier 1 exhibitors and exciting startups in the right location at the right time of the year. Add to this a strong conference pronities and you have all of the ingredients required to satisfy these core objectives – which is exactly what we are providing at iGB Affiliate London”. What are the main sessions of the iGB Affiliate London Conference? “Affiliates will have the opportunity to participate in a total of 13 Conference Streams delivered by some of the industry’s leading authorities. The igb Conference includes sessions dedicated to the 2022 Fifa World Cup, Geo/Vertical market segmentation, Seo Disasters, Social Media Branding and Design, International Digital Marketing and Localisation, Mobile Marketing in the US, Responsible Gambling, Best Practice, App Store Optimisation, Casino Live-Streaming and a panel session dedicated to the development of the affiliate sector in the United States. There are all business-centric issues and the content has been curated to leave delegates better equipped to maximise on the opportunities whether they be how to develop search focussed strategies to capitalise on the flurry of activity driven by major sporting events such as the 2022 Fifa World Cup or the rise of mobile betting in the United States and how to market to multiple states following guidelines and regulatory requirements across regional borders. We will also be exploring the new set of best practice standards developed by the industry for the industry with the aim of optimising business opportunities, reducing costs, improving transparency and building trust between affiliates and operators. The Conference programme is an integral part of the overall igb Affiliate London experience”. We know that igb Affiliate London will also be an opportunity to present the Ascend mentoring system. Can you tell us more about this initiative? “Ascend is a mentoring initiative which will support women early on in their affiliate careers through the provision of time, advice, feedback and guidance provided by colleagues who are established in the sector and have experienced the issues and challenges. The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day was ‘Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow’ and although glass ceilings are not as common in gaming as they are in other more conservative industry sectors we need to recognise that there’s still some way to go hence the need for movements such as Ascend. The aim is to use igb Affiliate London as an opportunity to meet with women in the igaming and affiliate sectors, listen to their experiences and establish the best ways of addressing the issues that are important to them and make best use of our resources as an industry. I see Ascend as being much more of a movement than a corporate initiative or some window dressing. There are some fantastic female role models connected with igb Affiliate London, and Ascend will help harness and deploy their insight, knowledge and energy. It’s a very important industry initiative and one that’s close to my heart”.

Four days of conference with Ice Vox

Before diving into the international gaming fair and during its entire development, in the headquarters of the industry set up as every year inside the ExCeL conference center in London, from April, Monday the 11th to Thursday the 14th, all the best concerning the sector is proposed, between insights and discussions with Ice Vox, which brings together 2 world-leading conferences and 12 masterclasses. The first day of Ice Vox starts on April, Monday the 11th, the day before the opening of the Ice London 2022 exhibition. The perfect opportunity to meet and network with industry colleagues who think the same, before the show starts. The full conference agenda is available online and you can take a look at the content schedule and secure your seat at the world’s premier conference for the global gaming community.

To find out more, visit the link: