iGB
ICE and iGB Affiliate Advisory Board savour a taste of the Barcelona experience
Members of the ICE and iGB Affiliate Advisory Board, the group of major exhibitors brought together to help oversee the pan-European bid process to host the world’s most influential gaming expos, have participated in an Orientation event organised by Clarion Gaming in partnership with Fira de Barcelona and the Barcelona Convention Bureau.
Exhibitors from the online, land-based and affiliate gaming sectors were represented across the two Orientation Days which included guided tours of the 240,000 sqm venue in partnership with the Fira de Barcelona team, an insight to the facilities that are available, explanations of how exhibitors participating in similar Tier 1 international events have represented their brands at the venue as well as a detailed breakdown of the vast array of opportunities offered by Barcelona’s world-class hospitality infrastructure including restaurants, entertainment venues and hotels.
Constantí Serrallonga, CEO Fira de Barcelona said: “Winning the bid to host the ICE and iGB Affiliate expos from 2025 strengthens the city’s international standing as a premier destination for major international events and conferences. For Fira, it means increased visibility and an opportunity to showcase our world-class facilities and services. Our team will strive to provide a seamless and enjoyable experience for the over 40,000 attendees. We look forward to providing a memorable experience to all of them.”
Christoph Tessmar, director of Barcelona Convention Bureaux added: “Barcelona is renowned for its inviting and inclusive ambience, solidifying its status as a premier destination for visitors. The city sets itself apart as a well-prepared host for prestigious gatherings, showcasing excellent services and cutting-edge infrastructure. The seamless coordination across various official bodies and different stakeholders in Barcelona plays a pivotal role in ensuring the success of events of this calibre, contributing to the flawless execution of programs at the highest standards. It is crucial to underscore that Barcelona, as a collective entity, stands fully prepared to host events of significant magnitude. The city encapsulates a welcoming atmosphere that fosters excellence, innovation, and entrepreneurship, rendering it an ideal backdrop for any occasion that values these principles”.
Reflecting on the Orientation initiative Stuart Hunter, Managing Director at Clarion Gaming said: “Everything that we do as an organising team is undertaken in partnership with our customers and the Advisory Board was pivotal in the process of identifying the best city and the best venue for the development of ICE and its sister show iGB Affiliate.
“As the bookend to that customer-driven process we are delighted to have hosted Advisory Board members who contributed to what has been widely acknowledged as a best in class, highly professional and forensic process. From January 2025 Fira de Barcelona will be the epicentre for the international ICE and iGB Affiliate communities in a city which is rich in culture and which exudes a spirit of innovation. I think the overriding impressions left with the Advisory Board members who have experienced Fira de Barcelona and been party to the tours and presentations is that the possibilities are endless.
“We are also in the planning stages to host an additional orientation event for the entire ICE and iGB Affiliate exhibitor base in March next year. This will provide all participants with the opportunity to get familiar with the event space and operational capabilities to support their planning for 2025. A virtual tour is also in production for release in the New Year, to further support the transition process.”
He concluded: “Our focus now is on delivering an exceptional edition of ICE 2024 for our international stakeholder community: saying a huge thankyou to ExCeL London for hosting ICE and iGB Affiliate so professionally and being such an important part of their success.”
iGB
Cellxpert looks to build on record year ahead of iGB Affiliate debut
Cellxpert is looking to iGB Affiliate to help build on a record 2024 during which it has doubled its client base, secured major partnerships in key growth regions, including LATAM and Asia, and continued to strengthen relationships with large multi-brand, multi-country, and multi-product European and global operators.
“In LATAM, we’ve partnered with standout operators such as Aposta Ganha, Grupo Esportes da Sorte, and Blaze,” explained Josh Swerdlow, CRO at Cellxpert. “With new local licensing regulations set to reshape the market, consolidation is on the horizon. We’re helping operators not only navigate these changes but also scale their affiliate programs with the tools and features they need to stay ahead.”
In Asia, a market brimming with growth potential, Cellxpert has earned the trust of industry leaders such as FUN88, W88 and BTC365. “These partnerships speak to the scalability and transparency our platform provides,” Swerdlow notes. “Asia presents unique opportunities, and our ability to anticipate operator demands ensures our clients are set up for success. I’m incredibly proud of the team and want to take this opportunity to thank them for their dedication.”
Cellxpert’s success is rooted in its long-standing commitment to building a platform designed for the iGaming industry. Since 2008, under the leadership of CTO and founder Assaf Dor, the brand has developed a feature-rich and highly scalable platform using cutting-edge software architecture which ensures unlimited scalability and near-zero downtime.
“What sets us apart is our ability to deliver measurable value to operators,” Swerdlow emphasizes. “Whether it’s through real-time integrations that drive data-rich reporting, advanced postback or API features for affiliates, or automated payment workflows, we’ve built a platform operators and affiliates trust to handle the complexities of iGaming affiliate programs with thousands of active affiliates.”
Swerdlow, who joined Cellxpert around the time of iGB Affiliate’s last London event, brings nearly two decades of experience driving growth for B2B companies, with over 10 years in affiliate and partner marketing. “Since joining, I’m extremely proud of our achievements. My focus has been on scaling the business commercially while ensuring our clients achieve long-term success.
“2024 was a year of validation, proving that our approach resonates deeply with operators. In 2025, our priority will be expanding into new regions, strengthening relationships with our clients, and helping operators unlock their full growth potential.”
Looking ahead, Swerdlow is confident Cellxpert will continue to establish itself as the go-to solution for operators managing multi-brand, multi-country, multi-product affiliate programs. “Our focus will be on ensuring operators unfamiliar with our offering understand the transformative value we bring,” he adds. “With trust, innovation, and execution at the core of what we do, 2025 promises to be another year of record-breaking growth and industry leadership beginning at January’s historic edition of iGB Affiliate Barcelona.”
Affiliate Announcements
Statutory levy affiliate reaction
“I personally think the industry should view this as a positive chance to work hand-in-hand with the NHS, charities and government as all stakeholders pull together to minimise gambling harm. Gambling is meant to be fun and entertaining and the industry must ensure that it is responsible, so that those in need can gain access to properly funded support as and when they need it.”
Affiliate Announcements
Registration opens as ‘Nuevos Horizontes’ unveiled as creative theme for Barcelona-bound iGB Affiliate
As registration opens for iGB Affiliate, ‘Nuevos Horizontes’ (New Horizons) has been unveiled as the creative theme driving the international marketing campaign in support of the 2025 edition which will be the first to take place at Fira Gran Via, Barcelona alongside sister show ICE.
Explaining the thinking behind the creative Naomi Barton, iGB Events’ Global Portfolio Director said: “The iGaming industry is continually evolving, and our 2025 campaign invites affiliates to explore new horizons at our exciting new venue, Fira Gran Via in Barcelona.
“iGB Affiliate is the home of the igaming affiliate community, and it enables connection, growth and shared business success for our audience of affiliates, operators and tech vendors. This campaign will drive our community into uncharted territory, sparking a spirit of exploration that embraces emerging markets, innovative strategies, and untapped commercial opportunities. It equips affiliates with the tools and insights needed to adapt, innovate, and conquer new horizons.”
She added: “With our move to Barcelona we’re setting our sights on an incredibly bright future. The additional space at Fira Gran Via, Barcelona, which is among the largest exhibition venues in Europe, will enable iGB Affiliate to achieve its full potential and continue to connect the best affiliates with the best operators and tech vendors.
“The 2025 edition of the show is set to feature a record 250 exhibitors and sponsors, occupying 15,000 sqm of space. The enhanced facilities in Barcelona will empower the affiliate community to forge new igaming connections, build strategic and trusted partnerships, expand their networks, and explore uncharted territories.”