Prioritizing the health of stakeholders, participants and organizers, Clarion Gaming has decided to defer ICE London and iGB Affiliate London to 2022.

Clarion Gaming Moves ICE and iGB Affiliate to 2022

Clarion Gaming has reevaluated the epidemiological situation and traveling restrictions across Europe and decided against holding ICE London and iGB Affiliate London co-located 2021 editions, deferring the events to next year.

The company explained that customers have asked the company to consider pushing back the event to 2022 in order to prioritize the health of participants and organizers, the company explained. The new date has been set for February 1-3, 2020 for ICE London at ExCeL London and for February 3-5 February for iGB Affiliate London.

Clarion is likely to stick with these dates as final options as vaccination under COVAX across Europe has begun, and is expected to peak around the summer of 2021. Meanwhile, Clarion is going to go ahead with its iGB Live! event, which will take place from September 28 through October 1 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Clarion Listens to the Needs of Customers

Commenting on the latest decision, Clarion Gaming manager director Stuart Hunter had this to say, cited by iGB:

“Both the ICE London and iGB Affiliate London brands have been successful because they have consistently worked with, and listened to, the needs of their respective customers.”

–Clarion Gaming manager director Stuart Hunter

Hunter explained that uncertainty still lingered in the year ahead and that exhibitors were keen on trying to restart operations in a milder climate where the threat of the pandemic and sudden travel restrictions isn’t lingering, nor is any risk posed to the health of participants.

Stakeholders have welcomed the move with Aristocrat Gaming general manager for EMEA, Erik van den Berg, arguing that the organization has made the right call prioritizing people’s safety and comfort.

Rescheduling the event will allow for a much more normal format once ICE returns in earnest next year, Berg added.

NRM Group managing director Andrew Ludlow was among the executives to argue that rescheduling the event would give participants more time to prepare and normalize their own operations.

He was joined by Sportradar global head of marketing Adam Azor, who argued that ICE London in February 2022 remains the best option given the circumstances.

Better Collective head of strategic events Shona O’Donnell expressed regret that the event will have to be postponed but said that the company supported Clarion in its decision to move the timeframe.

“We are totally focused on helping all sectors of the industry bounce back from what has been a horrendous year,” added Hunter cited by iGB. In the meantime, SiGMA will hold its SiGMA Europe event this year, now scheduled for April 13 through April 15.