From the indispensable Microgaming Bar to a seemingly ever-changing stand that embraced not one but three games and associated themes, the pioneering firm is once again seeking to turn heads at ExCeL.

To find out a bit more about plans for this week’s showpiece, CasinoBeats talked exclusively to the company’s CEO John Coleman.

What are you most looking forward to about ICE 2019?

JC: “The pinnacle event of gaming, ICE remains a permanent fixture in my diary. Each year
presents a unique opportunity for our industry to gather, share our wealth of knowledge,
and plot a course for the year ahead.

“I’m especially looking forward to the diverse range of content we will showcase on our stand. This is something we do well every year, but 2019 is set to stand out, as we will be joined by experts from six of the independent studios behind our latest and upcoming games. Who better to showcase our content than the teams who invest their passion and talent into creating it?

“Collaboration is so important in our world. ICE 2019 will see Microgaming present an array of fantastic new titles from the studios, along with our expanding catalogue of premium casino, bingo, poker and table games.

“But it’s not all about the people and products. ICE provides an opportunity to highlight some of our other commitments, in areas such as corporate social responsibility and
environmental sustainability. The brilliant eco-warriors of our CSR programme, Microgaming PlayItForward, have worked wonders in ensuring we provide a range of compostable cups, reusable water cans and recycling facilities for attendees. It’s going to be our greenest ICE yet.

“I’m also looking ahead to the numerous networking opportunities that ICE brings. It’s always a pleasure to meet and greet our operators, and to show them what we’ve got planned. A prime opportunity for this will be our exclusive operator party at MNKY HSE on Tuesday evening.

“This is set to be our biggest yet, and I’m incredibly excited to be attending it.”

Last year, Microgaming set the scene with show stopping activations to introduce Playboy Gold, Cash of Kingdoms and Fortunium. Are you set to top that this year?

“Six excellent headliners are due to be revealed, so there’s a lot to celebrate and massively
high expectations to meet. But we’re always ready to outdo ourselves! The Microgaming Bar will play host to a number of special performances over the three days, with each
blockbusting event being accompanied by a superb DJ.

“Without giving too much away, attendees can look forward to a funky experience from our Village People game launch, and the 15th anniversary of our partnership with Square Enix for the Lara Croft brand will be celebrated with a suitably sensational reveal.

“Microgaming is also gearing up for several big milestones. Not only is the business celebrating its 25th anniversary, but after yet another huge jackpot win on our popular Mega Moolah slot, our progressive jackpot network is now beyond €1bn in total payouts.”

“ICE is the essential marker of where we are now and where we’ll be heading in the future“

Why is ICE such an important event for Microgaming?

“ICE is the essential marker of where we are now and where we’ll be heading in the future.
As well as exhibiting the sheer variety our industry offers, it’s an incredible platform from which we can observe emerging trends and transformations that are there to be embraced.

“If there’s a fundamental tenet that’s guided Microgaming, from back in 1994 when we created the world’s first true online casino software, to 2004 when we developed the first mobile casino software, all the way up to being the award-winning supplier we are today, it is this: our lifeblood is innovation, and we need to be creatively agile to keep it
pumping through our veins.

“It would be all too easy to stand still in a high-growth industry. You could allow it to perpetually expand around you, and let it hold you rigid as you ride the crest of a seemingly never-ending wave. But we’re not here to be carried along, and ICE isn’t just another marketplace; it’s a thriving hub of experience, insight and invention. It’s an opportunity for us to learn more from our operators.

“ICE is the eye-opening education that keeps Microgaming limber and thirsty for what’s coming next.”

How do you think the show has developed over the years that you’ve been going?

“Well, it’s a lot bigger. Looking back, it’s a near perfect reflection of how rapidly and widely
the industry has expanded in a relatively short space of time.

“For Microgaming, this means we’ve been able to evolve our demonstrations, creating bigger and more immersive experiences based around our world-class content. We’re entertainers at heart and ICE is the ultimate stage for gaming.”

“for every peak we scale,
there will always be a higher
one on the horizon“

What are you most excited about for the industry – and for Microgaming – in the coming year? 

“Innovation is the big, industry-wide ambition for the year ahead, and that’s profoundly
exciting for me. It means stepping outside our comfort zones and engaging in the bold,
creative thinking that is utterly vital in our ever-progressing world.

“The past year saw Microgaming make huge leaps as we extended our presence in regulated markets such as Colombia, Sweden, Bulgaria and Denmark. We picked up a number of awards along the way, launched 27 stunning games, ushered in a new era of prestige table games content, and our progressive jackpot network – the largest in the world – awarded a record-breaking payout of €18.9m through Mega Moolah.

“But for every peak we scale, there will always be a higher one on the horizon. Microgaming will approach 2019 with a galvanised pioneering spirit, leading the way with
innovative, diverse content, while always keeping an eye on the path less travelled.”

The post Leading from the front: <br>Microgaming CEO Coleman lifts lid on ICE preparations appeared first on CasinoBeats.

The event, which is set to go by the name of Yggdrasil Slot Battle 2020, will see three teams, each made up of one operator and one streamer, compete to claim the highest single coin win in Yggdrasil’s newly-released Splitz mechanic title, Temple Stacks.

Rasmus Sojmark, CEO and Founder of SBC, commented on the event: “We are thrilled to have a company of Yggdrasil’s calibre sponsor our official networking drinks and we look forward to welcoming industry stakeholders to witness this unique tournament and join us for an action-packed evening of entertainment.

“Over the last year, we have seen operators develop a closer relationship with streamers to evolve the ways they reach and engage players and this will be an excellent way to highlight this rapidly growing marketing opportunity that I’m sure we will see more of in 2020.”

Well-known CasinoGrounds streamers such as LetsGiveItASpin, Nickslots and Slotspinner are all set to compete against each other, as well as Yggdrasil’s operator partners Rizk, Dunder and Casino Calzone.

A sponsored campaign with a value of €10,000 is up for grabs and will be awarded by Yggdrasil to the operator that achieves the highest single coin win. Moreover, aside from the grand tournament prize, players will also enjoy a €9,000 cash drop during the hour-long competition.

Fredrik Elmqvist, Yggdrasil CEO, will moderate the live event with 300 key industry stakeholders expected to attend.

Elmqvist, added: “At Yggdrasil we are always at the forefront of innovation and finding new ways for our content to reach new audiences is at the top of our agenda.

“We are increasingly using streamers and work closely with the streaming community as they significantly help raise awareness of our games as well as drive traffic to our operator partners’ sites.

“We are excited to showcase this collaboration by hosting this fun competition together with CasinoBeats and couldn’t think of a better place to do so than at ICE, the biggest industry event of the year.”

Tobias Svensen, CEO of CasinoGrounds, commented: “From its inception in 2016, CasinoGrounds has grown from a small forum of online casino streamers to become the number-one casino community in the world.

“Online casino streaming will only continue to grow as it offers a fun and fresh way for game studios and operators to promote their games. We are excited to show industry representatives how it can add something extra to the online gambling experience with this tournament.”

The tournament is scheduled to take place during CasinoBeats’ networking drinks event on February 5 at the Fox@ExCel during ICE London 2020, between 6pm and 7pm.

Register your interest in attending the networking drinks and Slot Battle event here

The post CasinoBeats teams up with Yggdrasil and CasinoGrounds for ICE streaming event appeared first on CasinoBeats.

The €65,000 fund was the result of generous donations from leading brands comprising Cirsa, Grupo Orenes, Betsson Group, Flutter, Acordjoc, Alea, Novomatic, Playtech, and Novomatic Spain and takes the total donated at ICE to €385,000.

Ewa Bakun, Clarion Gaming’s Director of Industry Insight said: “Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors I am delighted to be able to announce what are significant five-figure donations to the three charities all of which do outstanding work in the safer gambling space.

“Player Protection is a fundamental objective shared by everyone associated with the Sustainable Gambling Zone. The overarching objective of the Sustainable Gambling Zone is to be at the vanguard of initiatives to help develop healthy play from the outset of the player journey. 

“This includes the incorporation of safer gambling considerations from the very start rather than as just a compliance requirement. The goal is to create a more sustainable business in which players continue to enjoy their gambling entertainment experience but where the small proportion who are at risk of developing problems are proactively identified and assisted by operators.”

Clarion Gaming was the first event organiser to embrace safer gambling when it introduced the ICE Consumer Protection Zone seven years ago which went on to establish a template for other events to follow.

Featuring a total of 26 safer gambling bodies, including Spanish organisations ASENCAS and FEJAR, the SGZ will also host three days of educational content dedicated to consumer protection and ESG. For more information on the world’s biggest gaming technology event and to register: https://www.icegaming.com

The post Safer Gambling charities recognised on opening day at ICE Barcelona appeared first on CasinoBeats.

120,000 square metres of innovation presented by some 1,000 exhibitors is the prospect awaiting visitors arriving in Barcelona to be part of the annual gambling showcase, the first to be staged outside the UK. Both ICE and iGB Affiliate are officially sold out with Clarion Gaming confirming that it is operating a waiting list for 2026.

A Skywalk delivers an elevated perspective on the show floor and provides visitors with straightforward and swift access to the product zones that they require. To help visitors explore the full potential of the flagship event, Clarion has invested in ICE Ai, an enhanced customer tool which provides information on everything the industry-defining expo has to offer.  

The relocation to Fira Gran Via Barcelona has provided opportunities to add new features and enhance existing ones. The first ICE ‘Association Assembly’ has been created to enable trade bodies to promote their values and create new opportunities for the gaming community across every sector and geography. 

What was previously ICE VOX has been rebranded The World Gaming Forum (WGF).  The name more accurately reflects the credentials of events including the World Regulatory Briefing, the new Casino & Leaders Conference (formerly the ICC), and the new Esports & Games Conference – formerly the Esports Betting Conference. 

Situated at the heart of the Fira Gran Via Barcelona, the WGF features an exclusive club-style VIP Lounge, a dedicated networking garden, and access to a range of concierge services.

The rebranded Sustainable Gambling Zone, sponsored by Flutter Entertainment, features 26 safer gambling bodies, three of whom were recipients of sizeable donations, and underlines the importance that the industry places on sustainability and player protection.

For more information about the latest edition of ICE, visit the organisation’s website.

The post ICE welcomes the ‘world of gaming’ to Barcelona appeared first on CasinoBeats.

The event, running from 20-22 January, has attracted more than 1000 exhibitor brands and 100 regulatory bodies, while the new venue, Fira Barcelona Gran Via, reflects ICE’s continuing growth with a floorspace of 120,000 sqm compared to 100,000 sqm at the 2024 edition of the show.

“Day 1 of ICE Barcelona has been great. Whenever there is a change in the location of an established show, you would expect there to be a bit of a learning curve, but with this year’s ICE, I have to say that we’ve been very happy with how the first day has gone,” said Thomas Jingoli, executive vice president and COO of Konami Gaming.

“Overall, we’re very pleased to be here in Barcelona. The weather’s been great and it’s a city that offers a lot to do in terms of amenities.

“The feedback that I’ve received within the industry, including in conversations with some of our competitors, is that everyone has been very pleased with Day 1 of the show.

“We’re happy with the location of our stand and we’ve seen all the key customers that we need to see. It’s been a strong first day!”

This view was shared by Tracey Cohen, director of marketing at TCS John Huxley.

“Day 1 of ICE Barcelona has been very impressive!” she stated. “There has been a great buzz around the exhibition and a general feeling that the move to Barcelona represents a new and exciting chapter for the ICE brand.

“We’ve been consistently busy on our stand. We’re seeing all the right people plus some new faces. I really like the new venue and from an access point of view, it’s been great.”

As ICE Barcelona 2025 continues, participants can look forward to a comprehensive range of conference sessions, seminars, and networking opportunities – such as The World Gaming Forum, the Sustainable Gambling Zone (which donated €65,000 to Safer Gambling charities); and the ICE Esports Arena – designed to foster innovation and collaboration within the gaming sector.

The successful launch of ICE Barcelona once again underscored the truly global nature of the gaming industry and reaffirmed the show’s status as the must-attend event in the gaming calendar.

For more information on ICE Barcelona, visit the ICE website.

The post Casino suppliers celebrate successful launch of ICE Barcelona appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Let’s talk about the role that operators play in shaping the future of app user experience and how working with front end and UX experts, like mkodo, can help operators to foster environments of innovation and excellence in igaming and sports betting.

Operators are, of course, instrumental in providing their players with the best user experiences by overseeing the entire user journey, continuously optimising experiences and providing intuitive interfaces. 

Working with a front-end expert, like mkodo, can enhance these efforts. In the design phase interfaces are analysed and enhanced, ensuring they are not only visually appealing but also aligned with best practices for usability across iOS, Android and desktop platforms. 

Collaborating with a front-end expert can also help to streamline deployment processes, maintaining consistent, high-quality user experiences, as well as support the continuous enhancements needed to offer the best user experience.

Partnerships with front-end experts ensure a comprehensive and strategic approach to user experience elements such as design, management, and optimisation functions. This helps to foster an environment of innovation and excellence in app user experience.

What are some strategies that operators can implement to stay ahead in the competitive igaming landscape? Could you discuss your experience of working with a Canadian-based operator on its app and how you successfully grew its user base tenfold in under one year?

To capitalise on the growing igaming and sports betting markets, it’s important for operators to prioritise native and mobile optimisation – fast loading times and a responsive design add to an enhanced user experience. 

We recently partnered with a Canadian-based lottery operator to support enhancements to the overall user experience of their app. We worked with them on a number of elements, including the refinement of their payments feature. These updates to the app saw them experience a tenfold increase in their user base, from 10,000 to over 100,000 in less than a year. 

To truly stand out in the dynamic igaming landscape, be bold. Looking at successful companies in other industries, like Amazon or Netflix, for example, can be great inspiration. Being proactive and innovative positions operators uniquely, ensuring they not only adapt to industry changes but also lead in shaping the future of gaming experiences.

User feedback is clearly a vital ingredient in engaging customers and making their experience better. What should operators be doing to maximise the usefulness of that feedback? 

Feedback and user data is crucial, research by the International Gaming Institute underscores the impact, showing a 27% boost in player engagement and a 14% increase in customer retention when operators effectively leverage player data.

Establishing a feedback strategy is essential. This involves gathering insights from users through various channels, including in-app surveys, plug-ins, reviews, and social media. This feedback can then be used to guide app or website updates, improvements and optimisations. Regularly collective user feedback not only keeps the app in tune with expectations but also contributes to a positive user experience. Users appreciate seeing their feedback being acknowledged and addressed.

As an example of how successful asking for feedback can be, mkodo suggested the implementation of the native ‘Rate Us’ feature to one of our Canadian-based operators. This pop-up style feature prompts users at a positive moment in their user journey. Just two weeks after the implementation the app saw their App Store rating go from 3.5* to 4.7* on iOS and Android.

What can the igaming industry learn from the likes of Amazon and Netflix when it comes to advancing the user experience and what part can mkodo play in the process?

The likes of Amazon and Netflix are leading the innovation and user experience charge by prioritising personalisation, seamless user journeys, and predictive analytics to anticipate their users interests and preferences.

Operators should consider how platforms like Amazon or Netflix enhance their user experiences: 

• Personalised homepages 
• Timed messages 
• Tailored recommendations 
• Personalised offers and promotions 

For example, operators can leverage player data to offer timed and tailored game recommendations, promotions, and in-game events, enhancing and personalising the overall experience. 

It’s about quality over quantity and incorporating advanced recommendation algorithms, intuitive interfaces, and a focus on customer satisfaction can elevate the user experience.

And finally, can you give us a rundown of what mkodo has planned for this year’s ICE London?

We’re excited to be back at ICE again this year. We’ve got an even bigger stand S4-401 and we’ve teamed up with Pollard Banknote, which is a first for us. As with last year, our emphasis remains on showcasing our geolocation verification service, GeoLocs, along with our front-end expertise, mobile app, and website offerings. We’re looking forward to engaging with new and familiar faces in the industry and sharing our insight into the latest trends in igaming.

The post Will Whitehead: how to truly stand out in the dynamic igaming landscape appeared first on CasinoBeats.

In a statement, it claimed: “Everything we do is customer-led and dating back to 2021 a number of exhibitors as well as B2B media asked us to look at what alternative venues could offer. We are very conscious of our responsibility to the industry and of the need to look beyond the ‘here and now’. ICE and iGB Affiliate have grown exponentially and we would not have upheld our duty to the industry if we failed to plan for the future.”

Outlining the move, Clarion said it had engaged a consultancy to “construct and manage all aspects of the process and to evaluate each bid”. This involved venue visits, city presentations and what it described as detailed negotiations. 

On how the final selection of Barcelona as a host was secured, Clarion said the decision was placed in the hands of an ICE advisory board comprising land-based and online international gambling brands, However, the vote was not unanimous, it added. One member was neutral, with five of the 23 organisations voting to remain in London.

As part of the move, Clarion also announced that IGB Live would be relocating from Amsterdam to London.

The post Clarion Gaming confirms ICE will relocate to Barcelona in 2025 appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Ahead of the annual congregation in the UK’s capital (for the foreseeable future), CasinoBeats, in the first of a two-part ICE London special, took to its 100 Club members ahead of the ExCel’s doors opening tomorrow morning to get a flavour of what excites them most about the event, which has returned to its pre-pandemic slot in February. 

We asked: What are you most excited for at ICE 2023?

Claudia Heiling, Golden Whale: The Golden Whale Productions team can’t wait to make a splash at ICE London and showcase the power and prowess of our technologies. 

As a next-generation infrastructure supplier, we bring data science and machine learning  applications into practical use for online gaming operators and suppliers. Our software systems allow for the integration, modelling and orchestration of large data sets for industrial machine-learning tasks. 

While the industry has started to experiment with both data science and ML, our solutions take this to the next level – the advances we have made are so significant that there is already a tangible gap between companies using systems such as ours to accelerate product development with a focus on user experience and lifetime optimisation and those that are not. 

Helen Walton, G.Games: A new bout of COVID? Seeing what new ways all my plans for the stand can go wrong? Forgetting the enormously expensive gifts I have bought? Failing to remember an important customer’s name? Wondering if my body can take another five day combo of alcohol, sleep deprivation and work? Realising two competitors are launching a similar game theme to our hero product in the same month? The enormous relief on Thursday lunchtime when I start to believe I will survive for another year?

Oh go on then! The wonderful thing about ICE, for me, is that I can chart our progress as a company as I think about how far we’ve come. From the first year when we turned up to win Pitch ICE to having mini piglets on our stand and a competitor grumpily telling us that five different customers had said we were the ‘ones to watch’. 

So… however hard it is (and I genuinely fear it will kill me!), all the past ICEs make up a unique photo album of our journey and success.

Philip Parry, Iforium: I am most excited about seeing everyone in person! We returned to event travel last year but ICE is the big one where all our valued partners will be in attendance. 

It’s sounding like ICE 2023 is going to be the busiest one yet, our diary is already full weeks out from the event!

In-between the meetings, this year I would also like to attend the Pitch ICE presentations and see what’s new.

Michael Pedersen, Livespins: ICE is absolutely the biggest event on the conference calendar, attracting delegates from across the world, and this year’s event will undoubtedly set a record for attendance. 

I’m really looking forward to connecting with attendees and chatting about the role of streaming within the online gambling space. Since Twitch took the decision to ban a handful of casinos from its platform, operators have been nervous about casino and slot streaming and exploring the incredible opportunities it presents in terms of acquisition and retention.

Livespins has been designed to allow operators to do just that, but in a way that is responsible and compliant. Because the Livespins experience sits within the casino lobby, players are afforded the exact same responsible gambling protections as when playing standard casino games. 

Most delegates will yet to have enjoyed the Livespins experience for themselves, so ICE is a great opportunity to showcase our platform and the entirely new way to play online casino that it offers. I’m also looking forward to offering a sneak peek of our new ambassador product which really is a game-changer when it comes to player acquisition.

Shane Cotter, Real Dealer Studios: Since our focus is on breaking ground with non-traditional casino content, we’re particularly interested in seeing what other innovation is happening in the non-traditional content space and how far the boundaries are being pushed. 

We’ve been hearing whispers about some new game types, new features and crossover games that are giving the familiar slots and traditional table games a run for their money, so naturally this is something we’re watching with interest.  

So far, we’re still the only studio making Cinematic RNG games, that is, games made from recorded video created by film-industry pros. We unveiled the concept at ICE 2020, just before the pandemic hit. In the three years between, has anyone started to emulate us? This year’s ICE will be the place to find out, and frankly, we’re dead curious.

Christophe Casanova, Honore Gaming: Most people in our industry will be heading to ICE this year which is a really exciting proposition. It will undoubtedly be very well attended, with the event back in ‘full mode’.

I’m personally, really interested to find out how betting companies are using AI. Indeed, everybody is talking about ChatGPT and similar applications, but I am yet to see any concrete, direct usage in the gaming industry outside of the obvious marketing applications such as SEO and virtual assistants (chat bots).

I’m sure that in coming months/years, AI will be widely used to help bookmakers with odds compiling, and helping operators detect suspicious patterns on sports betting, poker and casino, however, I’m not sure if this is something that is necessarily pertinent right now.

Fraser Linkleter, Slots Temple: Being able to meet up with our partners and contacts is always so important to us as a business. Relationships are critical to being able to work well together and we are excited about being able to meet people face to face again. ICE always gives us a good opportunity to reconnect with existing partners as well as keep up to date with the most recent developments in the industry.

To become a member of the CasinoBeats 100 Club and be eligible to contribute to the monthly question, along with other exclusive member features, click here.

The post CB100: industry excitement at impending ICEcapades appeared first on CasinoBeats.

With the ExCel London opening its doors at 10am today for the return of ICE London, back to its pre-pandemic slot of February, CasinoBeats, in the second of a two-part frozen special, took to its 100 Club members to get a flavour of what excites them most about the event.

Melissa Summerfield, CEO of Markor Technology: At Markor, we are delighted to be taking part in ICE for the first time this year. We have all heard of ICE’s prestige as a leader in igaming events and conferences and have been looking forward to connecting with our partners in the industry on February 7 – 9.

This event provides an excellent platform to showcase our full portfolio of technology solutions available to both B2C and B2B partners. Furthermore, after having gone through a period of uncertainty due to COVID-19 restrictions over the past two years, everyone is getting back into the spirit of networking and collaboration with vigour – especially during key industry events like ICE

Julian Borg Barthet, Lady Luck Games: ICE is the number one gambling industry event in the world and is the predominant place where all of the leading operators, suppliers, regulators, analysts, and experts gather in the same place at the same time. It provides an incredible platform for growth, development, learning, and networking and is an absolute must-attend conference for those looking to take their business to the next level, especially for developers such as Lady Luck Games. 

For us, it is the most important event on the calendar and provides a huge opportunity for us to engage with operators and partners while also showcasing just how fun and entertaining our slots are to delegates that stop by our stand. 

This is the first year that we have a stand (N3-438) following our insanely busy private meeting room last year, and we can’t wait to welcome visitors on the show floor and have them fire up the reels on our portfolio of titles from our in-house studio and recent acquisition, ReelNRG. 

This marks our arrival as a top-tier developer and will really help drive awareness of Lady Luck Games among operators and other potential partners. It’s going to be the biggest ICE yet for us, and we are thrilled to be a part of it.

Brian B. Koh, Chief Commercial Officer at Continent 8 Technologies:  This is going to be my first ICE, and as someone that’s new to the industry, I can’t wait to experience what it has to offer. Having joined Continent 8 Technologies back in October, I’ve been able to see the incredible preparation that goes into exhibiting at such a prestigious event.

It really is an honour for me to join the wider Continent 8 Technologies team on the ground and to welcome customers, potential partners, friends and delegates to our stand [N3-110].

This year’s ICE will undoubtedly be one of the biggest in terms of attendance, so it’s a huge

opportunity for us to showcase our leading technology solutions covering hosting, connectivity, cloud and security to operators and suppliers.

For me, it will also provide the perfect chance to immerse myself in the industry and learn more from those that have been operating in the sector for many years. I’m also looking forward to spending time with the team and enjoying the amazing network events taking place.

Dylan Slaney, CEO iGaming at Light & Wonder: This is our first visit to ICE London under our new identity as Light & Wonder, we have had a hugely successful year and we continue to forge ahead with our ambition of becoming the leading cross-platform global game company and it’s exciting to be able to present this vision to delegates in London. 

Our roadmaps for 2023 are outstanding and we are looking forward to sharing what is to come with the evolution of our highly successful and much-loved game families along with our exciting content innovations.

ICE gives us the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the Playzido platform, which we acquired last year. This enhances our ability to bring on board the most innovative independent studios in the business, get their games to market quickly. We will also be showing how the acquisitions of ELK Studios, Authentic Gaming and Lightning Box have turbo-charged our content creation capabilities.  

At the show we will be revealing some news that we believe will make waves in the UK market. We have developed a ground-breaking innovation that will be officially unveiled during the event. It has been developed specifically to focus on the needs of operators ahead of the impending regulatory changes that are sure to have an impact on our industry. We are firm in our belief that our new creation represents a fresh approach to igaming, putting player entertainment at the heart of our offering.

We are excited to be showcasing Dream Pots, our new Wide Area Progressive jackpot product for the UK that has some impressive rapid-fire prizes, a data-driven math model and unique operator configurations. It will launch alongside cult classic Rainbow Riches and we expect it to be a hit with players who enjoy our popular franchise.

ICE London is all set to be back to its best and we are delighted to be a part of that story once again.

Ian Tibot, Future Anthem: I’m delighted that ICE is back on the agenda in its normal slot this February. In my opinion there’s truly no better way to start off the year than spending time with familiar faces from across the industry and meeting plenty of new ones at the same time.  

It feels like the uncertainty of the previous years are beginning to disperse in many ways and we’re back to normal service. It’s now time for the industry to get back to innovating, but with responsible gambling at its heart.  

Another thing that is cause for excitement this year is the opportunity to discuss all of the technological advancements we’ve seen recently, in particular around how people are using AI to improve the player experience. ChatGPT has shown the world how this technology is maturing, and the gaming industry has always been early adopters – it will be great to hear how operators are adopting this new technology. 

For us here at Future Anthem we’re looking forward to talking about how we are using AI to deliver real-time personalisation. It feels like this is an area where our industry is lagging behind other sectors in bringing better, personalised playing experiences into the hands of their customers. 

Most importantly we’re looking forward to not having to cram onto the Jubilee line to get to the Excel Arena this year – roll on the Elizabeth line! 

Andrei Beu, Gamingtech: Gamingtec is looking forward to taking ICE by storm. This is the biggest conference of the year and we are thrilled to be a part of it. As always, there will be plenty of conversations held over the three days about the future of the industry and where the biggest opportunities lie.

Latin America will undoubtedly be one of the key talking points as the market continues to roll out at pace. A lot of attention has been given to North America in recent years, but South America is thriving and with even more potential on the table for operators to explore.

Of course, a localised approach to each LatAm market is an absolute must and this ultimately requires a powerful yet agile platform that allows for high levels of customisation while putting control in the hands of the operator.

The Gamingtec platform does just that, and thanks to our GT Launchpad solution, we can take an operator from signing on the dotted line to go live in any LatAm market in just eight weeks. Sounds too good to be true? It’s not. So come check out our suite of solutions at N2-110.

Andy Blackburn, GameOn: This will be our biggest attendance at ICE to date as a company, with all of our account managers in attendance, members of the exec and management team, some of our content team as well as our key partners and subsidiaries. This year we also have the highest number of clients ever both in attendance and exhibiting.

Needless to say, it’s going to be one of, if not the busiest week of 2023 for GameOn – kicking off with a media training breakfast that we are hosting on February 6, in exclusive partnership with Games Global.

I’m also personally, really looking forward to seeing some industry colleagues for the first time in a while, expanding my network and meeting some, I’m sure, great new people.

The post CB100: ICE, ICE baby appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Delivering a keynote speech at the ICE London 2023 expo, Rhodes expressed that his leadership would prioritise better research and date, to secure improved analysis and action on all areas of the gambling industry. 

With the new year well underway, the UKGC’s recent data has suggested “gambling may well have settled into a new normal” despite the surrounding economic challenges facing the nation. 

In his speech entitled ‘latest research shaping regulatory decisions in UK gambling’, Rhodes explained: “As of September 2022, overall participation in any gambling activity, in the last four weeks, remains statistically stable at 44 per cent compared to September 2021.”

“Within that, the level of online gambling has continued its long-term trend up to 27 per cent and this is matched by land-based gambling as well.”

“The overall headline problem gambling rate is statistically stable as well, although more on those numbers later. So there is no explosion in online gambling, as participation has not gone through the roof in recent years.

“This means operators need to be that bit more competitive and innovative if they want to continue to grow in the British market. Or they need to diversify abroad…The truth is both are happening.”

Since the pandemic, the UK’s gambling market has become saturated with the top three operators having increased their market share to over 50 per cent, while the nation’s top 10 brands have accounted for 77 per cent of the B2C market’s overall GGY. 

Despite the dominance shown by market share gains, Rhodes revealed that “the largest operator groups are stating revenues are down due to safer gambling measures they are introducing. Now we aren’t saying these groups are getting everything right, but this is a development that has our attention.”

Rhodes also stated that compliance measures have impacted the competitive make-up of the UK space, in which the UKGC continues to gather at source data “detailing just how different each consumer can be.”

He said: “Amongst the largest operators in the British market, we have seen some interesting changes which are pretty consistent across those larger operators, who are seeing GGY fall by just under 16 per cent. The amount of money staked is down by just over 13 per cent.”

“We have seen the number of players losing over £500 a month drop by nearly eight per cent, and those losing over £200 a month by a little over two per cent. Whilst players staking £50 and over per spin for slots fall by 76 per cent. Some operators have seen this reduce by over 90 per cent, with the largest drop being over 98 per cent.”

“Yet despite reporting GGY declines, data reveals that larger operators continue to register an increased volume in bets (+five per cent) and active player numbers of six per cent.”

With this in mind, the Commission’s Chief Executive stated that it would not be wise to draw ‘particular conclusions’ on player activity impacting operators’ financial performance while the space undergoes a transitional phase for its companies and their engagement with players. 

Rhodes commented: “Given the number of bets being placed with the largest five operators increased by four billion and the number of active accounts by some four million, it doesn’t suggest there is a flood away from gambling either, but clearly some patterns have changed during the last year.” 

This year, the UKGC has turned its attention to implementing affordability checks/controls – in which Rhodes highlighted “misinformation circulating about the Commission’s position on the issue of affordability”.

Rhodes’ defence of the Commission’s attitude towards affordability may be in response to recent criticism from organisations such as the BGC, who claimed that blanked affordability checks may pose a threat to the betting and gaming market.  

Reinforcing the UKGC’s stance on the issue of affordability, Rhodes explained: “It is for operators to set limits themselves based on their customer types, business and risks. It is also for operators to take responsibility for preventing the sorts of cases I mentioned above from occurring in the first place.”

The speech at ICE also detailed how the regulator has been looking at launching better data research and new initiatives, with the UKGC set to host its first ‘Setting the Evidence Agenda’ in March to bring operators and academics together and analyse how gambling governance can be improved. 

Rhodes concluded: “Better evidence will mean better outcomes…The Gambling Act Review of course will also have a big part to play in our plans. We continue to work with DCMS and will continue to take action to protect consumers where needed.

“Better research, better data and better evidence will drive better regulation and better outcomes for consumers. Let’s work together on that.”

The post Andrew Rhodes: operators need to be competitive to grow in the UK market appeared first on CasinoBeats.