ICE London confirms former Danish regulator Birgitte Sand as new Ambassador

Birgitte Sand, a senior advisor in gambling regulation and most recently head of the Danish Gambling Authority (DGA), where she was responsible for the consolidation of the DGA’s licensing regime, has become the latest industry leader to accept an invitation to become an Ambassador for ICE London 2022.

The event has recently confirmed new dates for the 2022 edition after being postponed from its traditional February dates due to Omicron coronavirus variant spread, and now it will be held April 12-14, at ExCeL London.

Stuart Hunter, Managing Director, Clarion Gaming said: “I am delighted to welcome Birgitte as an ICE London Ambassador. She is a former ‘European Regulator of the Year’ and her knowledge of the industry extends across multiple verticals including betting, online casino, land-based casino, lotteries and gaming machines. ICE London Ambassadors serve as honorary advisers to the senior leadership team responsible for delivering the exhibition and provide guidance and insight based on their experience in the industry – her input will, I am certain, prove invaluable as we work to ensure that ICE London continues to meet the business needs of all sectors of the international industry.”

Sand, an advocate for the establishment of a constructive dialogue between regulators and the gambling industry, has attended ICE every year since she became a regulator in 2008 and believes the annual show plays an important educational role. She explained: “I was told prior to my first visit - and it proved to be correct advice - that ICE represented an excellent way of getting a closer insight into the different game categories, the diversity of operators and the access to several different conferences under one roof."

“Over the years my focus has changed from spending a lot of time getting insight based on the trade show and listening to panel discussions to also joining as a panellist or moderator and making sure to leave enough time for meeting new and old contacts. The networking opportunities at ICE London are outstanding on the basis that many visitors attend for more than one day,” she continued.

Underlining the importance of in-person events, Sand stated: “In all honesty, I have not talked with anyone who is not missing meeting people in-person after so many months of Zoom and Teams. The gaming industry is all about people and I’m looking forward to meeting-up with old contacts and creating new ones during ICE. It is extremely valuable to all of us to form relationships based on the level of trust that you can only experience from meeting people face-to-face.”

Sand joins other ICE Ambassadors such as Simon Thomas, CEO of London's Hippodrome Casino; and Tracy Damestani, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer for Ambassadeurs Group.

Clarion Gaming has also confirmed the co-located iGB Affiliate London event on 13-14 April, while ICE VOX, incorporating the World Regulatory Briefing and the International Casino Conference, will be held 11-12 April.