Top iGaming Trends Expected at ICE Barcelona 2026
ICE – one of the leading exhibitions of the iGaming industry – is back for its marvellous 2026 edition! Between January 19 and January 21, 2026, it is expected that an influx of more than 50,000 iGaming stakeholders (from 186 nations) will visit Fira Barcelona Gran Via to attend more than 600 exhibitions. These huge numbers of visitors will not only play a crucial role in deciding how the industry functions, but they will also decide the future of online gambling.
ICE does not simply offer a chance to showcase technology or establish business deals, but it is also a place for collaboration, for discussing emerging player preferences, rising iGaming markets, shifting global regulations, and new social trends. Every factor that has the potential to change the iGaming world is definitely discussed at the ICE.
ICE Barcelona 2026 is taking place at a time when the iGaming world is going through rapid changes, and ICE will play a crucial role in deciding how the iGaming industry will react to those changes. Let’s get an overview of the changes in this blog.
Interested in iGaming Events?
A Brief Introduction to The ICE
ICE is an annual iGaming exhibition that used to be hosted in London, but since 2025 has been organised in the Spanish city of Barcelona. This massive event doesn’t just serve as a connecting ground for iGaming stakeholders, but it also serves as a platform for tech providers to showcase the emerging technologies in iGaming, a form of recreation, and a forum for discussion between iGaming industry pioneers.
ICE is mainly attended by operators looking for new business partnerships and technical innovations, officials working with national and regional iGaming regulations, legal specialists, iGaming association representatives, and software providers like platform vendors, game providers, payment gateway companies, and affiliate network representatives.
In recent years, we have seen ICE taking on a more ethical aspect as it has been serving as a platform for sustainable actions in iGaming, including rising calls for responsible gambling, stricter adherence to regulatory compliance, and new forms of risk management.
The Major Casino Industry Trends 2026 That You Can See At ICE Barcelona
Key iGaming Trends To Expect at ICE Barcelona 2026
Trend
Key Features
AI/ML
Prevalent use of AI-driven gaming solutions systems for various purposes
Personalization in iGaming
Player-first approach in content, marketing, regulations etc.
AR/VR
Immersive VR and AR-based casinos
Cryptocurrency and Payment Trends
Use of mature crypto/stable coins for transactions
Trends in Online Lottery
New forms of lottery games and prizes, new lottery regulations
Emerging iGaming Markets
Rise of new lucrative iGaming markets throughout the globe
Global Regulatory Shifts
Changes in national regulations are prompting the industry to change
Changing Trends in Sports Betting
Discussion on new events and technologies in online sports betting
Discussions on Emerging Cybersecurity Threats
Rise of new cybersecurity threats and platform defence mechanisms
Rise of Social iGaming
Rise of immersive social media-based iGaming platforms
How AI & Automation will Impact iGaming in 2026
AI and Machine Learning are some of the raging trends in iGaming - primarily because of their far-reaching implications. AI is now being adopted in a variety of forms in iGaming, including sportsbook risk management, customer support, personalised marketing tools, security measures, implementing responsible gaming technology, and even casino game content generation. AI is also being adopted in the promotion of regulatory compliance.
AI and its core base of machine learning mechanisms will play a crucial role in how the industry will move in the coming days, making it an important part of the discussion for industry leaders at ICE.
Personalized Player Experiences
Another popular trend that is seen in the iGaming landscape today is player personalisation. Today, the industry has moved on from taking in a “one-size-fits-all” approach to player needs and preferences and has started adapting to their individual needs.
This can be seen in multiple examples - in marketing, platform, and software marketers are pushing towards player-centric personalised messages and promotions. In addition, AI is also being used to implement the concept of personalisation in multiple ways, such as in jurisdictions and gaming content.
This concept of personalisation is another topic that is bound to hit the headlines at ICE 2026.
Assisted Reality/Virtual Reality
Assisted Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are also some of the top iGaming trends 2026 that you can see making headlines at the ICE Barcelona 2026. Still a developing technology, AR and VR are slowly being adapted to create immersive digital virtual iGaming environments. VR casinos and sportsbooks are slowly being developed and introduced into the mainstream, making it one of the ICE Barcelona 2026 trends.
Changing Cryptocurrency & iGaming Payment Trends
Cryptocurrency is also one of the buzzing topics that is bound to take its rightful space in the latest exposition of ICE Barcelona. Crypto casinos and betting have been raging in the iGaming world for quite some time. However, one of the key drawbacks preventing their mass adoption is the volatile value of cryptocurrencies; however, this is soon going to change with the prevalence of stablecoins (cryptocurrencies aimed to have a stable market value), and this is definitely going to affect digital transformation in iGaming.
Another related topic of interest that we can see being debated is the dynamic interaction between payment systems and compliance mechanisms, which results in new risk prevention methods.
Emerging Trends in Lottery Games
Lottery is a major sector within the iGaming industry, and like the industry as a whole, it is also going through some pretty rapid changes. At ICE 2026, iGaming industry leaders will likely be discussing a variety of different topics, including new lottery game forms, emerging lottery regulations in developing regions, new prize types, developing player preferences, and potential collaboration with other forms of iGaming. Furthermore, also expected can be discussions about new safety features, the increasing role of AI, new gamification systems, and integration of NFTs and blockchain.
Talks on Emerging iGaming Markets
Another popular trend that we can see being the topic of discussion is the emergence of new iGaming marketing hotspots. In recent years, we have seen the emergence of Asia as a potential iGaming market, with a resurgence of the iGaming and casino markets in Europe. With radical shifts in regulatory compliance and consumer behavior, we’ll see the emergence of new customer base targets based on nationalities, age, and income groups.
At ICE Barcelona 2026, expect a deep dive into which regions and groups are ideal for your next iGaming adventure and how you can make the most of it!
Regulatory Changes Impacting iGaming
An undercurrent of the change in iGaming software trends 2026 can also be seen with the change in iGaming regulations, and this makes ICE one of the most ideal places for discussing global regulatory changes prevalent in iGaming. Regulation plays a key role in this industry - it not only decides the nature of iGaming operation in a particular jurisdiction, but also how things like marketing, technical specifications, and the nature of gaming content will play out in a particular iGaming market on a national level.
ICE forms a robust platform for industry stakeholders to come together and discuss key changes and how to use them for maximum benefits.
Rise of Social iGaming
This is one of the key iGaming innovations to watch in 2026, which has been brought on with the rise of social media and advancements in digital technologies. Social iGaming as a trend basically refers to a combination of social media and iGaming. Social iGaming basically enables gambling with connections based on social media and digital media platforms. An example of this would be the “virtual casinos” from Metaverse that we discussed earlier, and another example can be the latest “Bet With Streamers” feature, which is being utilised by iGaming operators, where they use social media personalities and streamers for promotions and increased engagement.
Evolution in Sports Betting
Sports betting trends are also evolving with the changes in the iGaming world - new technologies, new tournaments, and new bettor preferences, everything is changing. Discussions on the topic at ICE 2026 can include the rise of AI in sportsbook risk management, new omnichannel gaming environments, betting trends in upcoming major live tournaments, the rising trend of betting in Esports tournaments, and much, much more! When it comes to sports betting, change is one of the solid iGaming market predictions.
Emerging Cybersecurity Threats and Defences
Cybersecurity is an aspect of iGaming that is constantly evolving - day by day, threats like system manipulation, Denial of Service attacks, player account manipulation, and identity theft have evolved and have been proving to be a challenge to tech providers and operators. On the positive side, we have also seen the evolution of stronger protection mechanisms that can identify, single out, and eliminate threats very quickly. AI has also been playing a role in making systems secure lately.
Looking Forward To An iGaming Platform Demo?
Why Visit GammaStack’s Booth No. 2D55 At ICE Barcelona 2026?
GammaStack is also one of the ICE Barcelona 2026 exhibitors. We offer secure, scalable, and premium iGaming software that is bound to ease your operational journey. At our booth 2D55 in ICE Barcelona, we’ll offer you detailed guidance that’ll help you on every step of your iGaming journey. Also, we’ll offer exciting exhibitions and demonstrations showcasing the next-gen technology in iGaming.
In addition, GammaStack also offers many other benefits for operators, including –
In addition, GammaStack also offers many other benefits for operators, including –
- Robust backend management system
- More than 14 years of industry experience
- A dedicated team of more than 500 professionals
- Low/No GGR share
- Dedicated post-launch support
- Integration of the latest technical features
- Omnichannel support
- Localization support for multiple languages, time zones, and currencies.
Read More On Related Topics!
Frequently Asked Questions
ICE Barcelona is an annual iGaming exposition event organized in the Spanish city of Barcelona, usually between January 19-21. This exposition is one of the premier iGaming events of 2026.
ICE expositions are visited by more than 30,000 people on an annual basis - for 2026, the number of expected guests is more than 50,000
Operators can benefit from visiting ICE as it serves as a networking ground between industry leaders, tech providers, operators, and other people associated with the industry. It also provides a platform to know about the latest iGaming innovations in 2026.
You can look up the registration details and plan your visit to the expo by exploring www.icegaming.com
GammaStack - within its booth 2D55 - offers a variety of services for visiting operators, including live demonstrations, end-to-end consultations, and extensive iGaming solutions.
GammaStack offers consultation on a variety of subjects, including selecting the correct type of future-ready gaming platform solutions, how to scale up as an operator, and how to upgrade technology.
