Clarion Gaming’s decision to expand its internationally recognized ICE brand outside of the UK, along with ICE Africa, to be held at the Santon Convention Center (24 and 25) in Johannesburg on Oct. 24 and 25, was seen as a landmark decision by International, Atanasios Isakidis, the chief executive of event exhibitor Mercur Gaming, in light of what he claimed was a time of opportunity across the continent.
Commenting on the period of the first ICE Africa, Iakidis explained: “There has never been a better time to bring the weight of an ICE brand and within the international gaming industry to the continent. For various reasons, both economic and political conditions across Africa have been challenging in certain sectors, so hopefully a prestigious event run under the ICE brand can spark interest and lead to more investment in gaming.
“Obviously, there’s a lot more to Africa than there is in South Africa,” he continued. “While some sectors are currently focusing on the country’s proposed national gambling amendment bill, there are challenges and opportunities across various countries in the region. Because of that, we believe it’s an important step in establishing a fully integrated African gaming trade group: We believe Clarion will successfully establish with ICE Africa.”
Mercur Gaming will showcase its LPM and casino suite in Johannesburg, supported by distributor MP Gaming, and we hope the event will continue to expand in support and scope similar to the more established London event, and we see it as an important stepping stone for the continent’s future. In response to the show’s support, Markus Wessler, director of international sales, added: “Mercur Gaming has a long-established relationship with Clarion and ICE brands. As expansion to the African continent is a priority for us, it is entirely logical to support ICE Africa to meet with existing customers and also enable us to leverage ICE brands as we engage in new contacts and open up new possibilities.”