ICE Barcelona has cemented its status as a major global gaming event: the 2026 edition will be held from 19 to 21 January at Fira Barcelona Gran Via, with a focus on innovation, regulation and networking.
ICE Barcelona launches today. And it’s not just another line in the trade show calendar. For the iGaming industry, it’s a strategic shift!
On its official website, the organiser presents ICE Barcelona as ‘the place where the gaming world comes to do business’, with a very clear promise: to bring together product innovation, insights and business opportunities under one roof.
Notably for an event communication, ICE displays ambitious figures directly on its home page: 600+ exhibitors, 65,000+ visitors over 3 days, 300+ ‘verified’ regulators and 200+ speakers.
What can we expect for this 2026 edition?
Indicators announced by ICE
The organisers are hammering home a narrative of ‘bigger & bolder’, with figures that serve both logistical reality and market signals: the event aims to be the focal point of the global gaming ecosystem.
- Dates: 19–21 January 2026
- Venue: Fira Barcelona Gran Via
- Exhibitors: 600+
- Visitors: 65,000+ expected
“Bigger, denser”: what’s new at ICE 2026
ICE explains that 2026 will be its “biggest” edition yet, with an enhanced visitor experience thanks to new spaces, content, stages and networking formats.
In concrete terms, ICE has announced an extension into a new hall (Hall 1) at the south entrance, adding 14,000 m² of exhibition space.
For operators and affiliates, this detail matters. More space often means more visitors, more demos, and more visible competition in high-margin iGaming verticals.
World Gaming Forum
ICE offers a World Gaming Forum pass that allows you to attend numerous conferences on the world of iGaming. From responsible gaming to the latest technologies, all topics are covered by industry experts.
Growing the Power of Play
The 2026 campaign is based on the theme ‘Growing the Power of Play’, presented as a way of describing ICE: sowing innovation, ‘pollinating’ ideas, cultivating connections. Managing Director Stuart Hunter sums up the intention by presenting ICE as the stage for the major innovations and technological adaptations that shape the sector.
Regulation as a central focus
The other major change is the political weight of the show. ICE highlights the presence of regulators, with around 400 expected to attend the 2026 edition, compared to 300 at the previous edition in Barcelona.
The fight against illegal activity, the fight against clone sites, player education, and increased pressure on compliance (KYC/AML, advertising, protection of minors, deposit limits, etc.). These are important issues that will be addressed at the conference, as can be seen from the ICE 2026 programme.
What this means for professionals… and for players
For professionals
ICE Barcelona is becoming a place where three markets overlap:
- Product market: slots, Live Casino, RNG, platforms, payment, anti-fraud, AI, CRM.
- Regulatory market: exchanges between authorities, compliance, fight against illegal activities.
- Relationship market: meetings, partnerships, affiliation deals, investment (Pitch ICE, start-ups).
It is therefore the place to be and be seen as a professional. And it is an excellent opportunity to stock up on good ideas.
For players
Even though ICE remains strictly professional, the trends presented there almost always end up translating to the player side:
- Faster interfaces,
- smoother payments,
- increased personalisation,
- stronger safeguards,
- detection of risky behaviour,
- stricter KYC checks,
- fraud prevention.