‘Be proud,’ Simon Thomas surges ICE Symposium

In an address delivered at the ICE Symposium, Simon Thomas, executive chairman of the Hippodrome Casino, urged gaming business leaders to “stand up and be proud” of the entertainment they provide.

He urged the attendees at the Hippodrome, which played host to this year’s annual ICE Symposium, that: “With the toxic narrative that’s being propagated and which filters through to mainstream media, it’s important that we are proud of what we offer.

“The story should not be about problem gambling, which in the UK is at a record low level, but instead the focus should be on what I term ‘healthy gambling’ and the reality of happy consumers enjoying themselves with all the benefits of intellectual stimulation and socialisation.”

A number of curated roundtable sessions followed, with discussion focussing on the future of the sector, including the challenges and opportunities in the immediate to long term.

Clarion Gaming’s managing director Stuart Hunter updated the attendees on what to expect from ICE and its sister show iGB Affiliate in 2024, and their relocation to Barcelona in 2025.

“Our focus is firmly on making 2024 the best edition of ICE that the industry has ever experienced,” he said. “ICE was born in London and the city has served the show admirably as it has developed into the most successful and internationally regarded business event for the global gaming industry.

“I know that many of our exhibitors are planning a strong and creative presence to express their thanks to London for being such a great host city and also to mark the next stage in the development of ICE and iGB Affiliate.

“The move is a generational opportunity to draw-up a new floorplan which we will have ready to view at ICE and iGB Affiliate 2024.”

In an action-packed day, ICE Symposium attendees also received a market analysis from Simon French, managing director head of growth capital solutions and travel and leisure at Panmure Gordon entitled ‘Gambling the Investment Landscape’.