From Chess Kings to Startup Dreams: Day Two at ICE

_{ICE Barcelona's Second Day Showcases the Future of Gaming. (Image: Will Chimes/OpticsPR)}

Crowds returned to Fira Gran Via for day 2 of  ICE Barcelona where the energy levels were on max and the show floor was open for headline features, high-stakes competitions, and influential speakers from around the world. Did we mention all the freebies on offer too?

Tuesday’s offerings included Pitch ICE, a launchpad for startups to present their boldest ideas directly to investors and decision-makers. The showcase gave emerging businesses the rare chance to connect with top-tier gaming stakeholders, spotlighting the next generation of products and solutions. Think of it as the Dragon’s Den but without the brick wall interior and a row of grumpy looking investors.

If that were not enough to whet your appetite there was the ICE Innovators Challenge, hosted on the new Enterprise Stage in partnership with Microsoft. The session showcased forward-thinking, safer gaming technologies, aiming to raise industry standards and support sustainable growth.

Networking remains  a major focus for delegates and attendees on Day 2 took advantage of the large number of formal and informal meeting spaces including the IDN Play DJ Lounge and the VIP Lounge presented by OpenBet.

Leadership and Insight at the World Gaming Forum

The World Gaming Forum did not disappoint with leaders sharing strategies to redefine the industry's future. They included Shai Segev, CEO of DAZN who delivered a keynote on the evolving intersection of global media, sports and fan engagement. Later, the Honourable Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis, outlined the Caribbean island's strategy to become a key player in the international gaming market.

If you happened to be somewhere else at the Fira Gran Via you could catch it all online and on ICE TV, which was being streamed live across the venue. From fireside chats, interviews, and panel discussions it made for interesting viewing.

For those wishing to keep up to date with the plethora of new laws and regulations there were discussions on Spanish gaming authority DGOJ's priorities, harmonising EU regulations, and results from Europe's Action Day Against Illegal Gambling all happening at La Plaza. 

Big Names and Bigger Crowds on the Show Floor

You never know who you will bump into at ICE including some of the biggest names in sport and chess. Stars included chess grandmasters Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura, along with the Gotham Chess team and football greats like former England footballer, John Terry along with other great names of football like Henrik Larsen, Hristo Stoichkov, Johan Mjällby, Louis Saha and Alessandro Del Piero drawing the crowds.

There is no doubting the popularity and rise in esports and that was showcased at ICE with crowds of esport fans watching the semifinals and finals of the ICE Esports Arena tournament. There is still more to come as ICE enters its third and final day before the contractors swarm in and disassemble the fantastic stands  and equipment onto that mass of flight cases. For land based and online casino operators ICE is not to be missed but if you did, there is always next year.