ICE Barcelona 2026 is preparing to welcome tens of thousands of gaming professionals to Fira Barcelona Gran Via from 19 to 21 January, positioning the event as a central meeting point for technology, policy, and commercial decision-making across the global gambling sector. Organisers expect around 65,000 industry participants to attend during World Gaming Week, reflecting continued growth following the event’s first year in Barcelona.
The 2026 edition builds on the momentum established previously, when the show recorded double-digit attendance growth, surpassed 100,000 visits for the first time, and achieved a net promoter score placing it among the highest-rated business events worldwide. Preparations for the upcoming edition have focused on expanding content depth, strengthening cross-sector engagement, and introducing new initiatives aimed at both established operators and emerging businesses.
Business activity and technology focus
ICE Barcelona continues to present itself as a high-volume business environment. During World Gaming Week, organisers estimate that more than 25,000 products will be launched and over one million meetings and commercial engagements will take place. This concentration of deal-making activity underpins the event’s reputation as a global platform for gaming technology and services across land-based, online, sports betting, lottery, and affiliate sectors.
A major addition for 2026 is the expanded Enterprise Stage in Hall 5. The programme will include speakers from Microsoft, AWS, and Huawei, highlighting the growing role of large-scale technology providers within regulated gaming. The live final of the ICE Innovator Challenge will also take place on 20 January. Delivered in partnership with Microsoft, the challenge focuses on responsible play and the application of artificial intelligence to support safer gambling practices.
The Enterprise Stage will also host the launch of the ICE Accelerator, a programme designed to support start-ups and scale-ups. Through workshops and roundtable discussions led by investors, mentors, and experienced founders, the initiative is intended to help companies move beyond early-stage exposure and address practical challenges linked to growth and international expansion.
Policy debate and leadership at the World Gaming Forum
Alongside the exhibition, the ICE World Gaming Forum will return as a central policy and leadership programme running in parallel with ICE and iGB Affiliate. The Forum will open on Monday 19 January with a keynote address from Soo Kim, Chairman of Bally’s Corporation, who will share insight into the company’s “Always-On” strategy.
Announcing his participation, Damien Ashton-Wellman, Conference Manager and Head of Content, ICE Barcelona, said: “We are delighted to confirm Soo Kim who chairs one of the most dynamic casino-entertainment brands operating in the world as our first keynote at the 2026 edition of the ICE World Gaming Forum.”
He added: “As competition ramps up, both online and land-based gaming face new challenges worldwide. Bally’s ‘Always-On’ strategy represents a commitment to deliver a seamless, integrated digital and physical gaming entertainment experience for consumers. The vision involves dovetailing online and land-based operations globally from Rhode Island to Sydney to deliver consistent and engaging experiences across physical and digital platforms whether they are in a land-based casino, using a sports betting app, or playing games online.”
The keynote will be followed by a fireside discussion examining Bally’s recent New York City approval and its redevelopment plans in Las Vegas. Ashton-Wellman said: “Lifting the lid on one of gaming’s most unconventional expansion playbooks, the exclusive fireside chat will dive into the details behind Bally’s recent New York City approval and the once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine the heart of the Las Vegas Strip.”
He continued: “With two luxury hotel towers totaling 3,000 rooms, a casino and VIP experience, a state-of-the-art 2,500 capacity entertainment venue, and more than 500,000 square feet of retail, dining, and entertainment offerings, Bally’s Las Vegas represents a fascinating case study of how a global brand is bringing together sport, gaming, entertainment, dining and hospitality on a quite epic scale and in order to meet the growing consumer demand for integrated entertainment.”
The World Gaming Forum programme for 2026 has been curated with industry input and will cover subjects including illegal market activity, land-based growth in Europe, sports betting collaboration, iGaming personalisation, lottery innovation, and cybersecurity risks. In 2025, the Forum attracted 1,200 delegates from 79 countries, and participation is expected to increase.
Regulation, sustainability, and the wider experience
Regulatory engagement remains a central element of ICE Barcelona. Organisers have established a Regulatory Advisory Board and expanded the Regulatory Programme to include discounted access, private sessions, and working lunches. More than 300 regulators attended the 2025 edition, with expectations to exceed 400 in 2026.
Responsible and sustainable gambling will again feature prominently through the Sustainable Gambling Zone, formerly known as the Consumer Protection Zone. For 2026, the area will move to a central position between Halls 4 and 5, with a more open layout designed to encourage discussion around technology, lived experience, and regulatory approaches to safer gambling.
Beyond conference halls and exhibition floors, ICE Barcelona 2026 will extend its networking agenda across the city. New additions include the McLaren x ICE Lifestyle Lounge, enhanced Day Zero programming, and a series of social events running from Sunday through to the end of the week, linking business activity with informal networking in iconic Barcelona locations.
ICE Barcelona will take place at Fira Barcelona Gran Via from 19 to 21 January 2026.
Source:
ICE Barcelona – Growing the Power of Play, gamingintelligence.com, 10 December 2025
