Clarion Gaming's Will Harding says ICE Barcelona 2025 to drive esports growth and regulatory awareness

The ICE Esports Arena at ICE Barcelona 2025 plays a key role in educating people about esports and how to access, integrate and regulate this growing vertical, says Clarion Gaming's leader in Emerging Technology and Esports, Will Harding.

"Part of the role of the Esports Arena and The Esports and Games Conference is explaining exactly what esports is," added Harding. 

"There is still work to be done in helping regulators to better understand esports. That's why showcasing esports here at ICE is so important - we're empowering people who are at the forefront of shaping regulatory policy."

The ICE Esports Arena continues to grow year-on-year, with four world-ranked professional Counter-Strike 2 teams competing live at ICE 2025 for a $25,000 prize pool. This year's winners were 500 (Bulgaria: World ranking: 47).

"In terms of attendees, we have a whole spectrum of people here, from those that are still shocked that computer games have anything to do with sports betting to those that have built incredible businesses around esports," Harding continued.

"There are also a number of visitors who realise that esports is significant for their business in terms of revenue but don't necessarily know how to access this vertical, and we're here to guide them toward unlocking its full potential. But the one thing which is absolutely certain is that esports betting is here to stay and it's going to continue to grow."

He also praised headline partners, esports betting "experts" Oddin.gg, for their contribution in helping explain why esports is such a commercially important vertical for operators.

"Oddin.gg has been an excellent partner in realising the Esports Arena. Holding a professional esports tournament is a big endeavour. As our headline sponsor, Oddin.gg has played a key role in showcasing how the data and the odds work. They have helped complete the education journey," he stated.

Commenting on ICE's move to Barcelona, Harding highlighted that both the city and the show's new venue Fira Barcelona Gran Via have extensive experience with esports, providing a "perfect" location for the ICE Esports Arena's continuing expansion.

"It's very established here. You can walk around Barcelona and see large-scale internet cafes catering for esports fans," he added. "This represents an ideal foundation for the continued growth of the Esports Arena and The Esports and Games Conference in the years ahead."