Gaming professionals planning their annual visit to ICE Totally Gaming will need to allocate some additional time on the show floor. The world’s biggest business-to-business gaming technology event will be that much bigger in 2017, thanks to an additional 1,945 sqm of net space. As of the end of December, ICE 2017 will occupy a total of 40,925 sqm compared to the 2016 figure of 38,980 sqm. The 5% increase in space makes the 2017 event the biggest ICE on record.  Kate Chambers, Managing Director of Clarion’s Gaming Division and the person responsible for the development of ICE since it took residence at its current home at the ExCeL Centre, said: “Whilst it is obviously positive to be able to talk about the growth of ICE in this way, equally we are very aware of the need to control and manage the brand’s development rather than pursue a full-out expansion strategy. What this means in practice is that we are working hard to try and mirror expansion on the show floor with a concomitant increase in visitors, a task that we continue to invest in through enhanced marketing and communications. We are only guardians of the ICE brand and it’s essential for us to manage the growth strategy in a sensible, pragmatic and, most importantly, sustainable way. Relocating to ExCeL has allowed us to grow the brand, but at the right pace.”

She added: “The growth of ICE is the result of two trends. Firstly, a number of our existing customers have been keen to expand their stand presence and secondly we have a total of 91 exhibitors from 34 nations who will be making their first appearance with us in February. It’s a nice, balanced combination of established, well known gaming innovators alongside some new faces and gaming industry start-ups. Our challenge is to provide a professional business environment in which all of our exhibitors, of all sizes, can flourish."

ICE Totally Gaming is the only B2B gaming event in the world that brings together the online and offline gaming sectors. Featuring exhibitors drawn from the casino, betting, bingo, lottery, mobile, online, street, sports and social gaming sectors, ICE provides the most comprehensive shop window on world gaming and in 2016 attracted a record 28,487 visitors drawn from 150 nations.