Informa Agrees £2.24B Acquisition of ICE Organiser Clarion Events

UK exhibitions group Informa has agreed to acquire Clarion Events from Blackstone in a transaction valuing the organiser of ICE Barcelona and iGB Live at £2.24 billion, approximately $3 billion.

The agreement was announced on October 6 and is expected to complete toward the end of the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary conditions.

Clarion operates a global portfolio of exhibitions and events, including ICE, one of the largest international trade shows serving the gambling industry, and iGB Live in London.

Informa has identified gambling as one of three major growth areas behind the acquisition and specifically highlighted ICE as the global leader in gaming exhibitions.

Blackstone Bought Clarion for £600M in 2017

Blackstone acquired Clarion Events in 2017 in a transaction valued at approximately £600 million.

The latest £2.24 billion valuation means Clarion's value has increased by almost four times during Blackstone's nine-year ownership period.

The growth has been supported by expansion across multiple exhibition sectors, alongside the development of Clarion's gambling events business.

ICE has become a central event in the global iGaming calendar, bringing together operators, suppliers, regulators, affiliates, payments companies and technology businesses.

The exhibition moved from London to Barcelona in 2025, while iGB Live subsequently relocated to London.

The two events give Informa direct exposure to both the broader B2B gambling market and the affiliate and online gaming segment.

Informa Targets Gambling as Key Growth Market

Informa is positioning the acquisition as part of its strategy to expand in high-growth specialist exhibition categories.

Gambling is one of three areas the company has identified as particularly important to the deal.

For the iGaming sector, the acquisition places ICE and iGB Live inside one of the world's largest international events groups.

Informa already operates exhibitions, conferences and information businesses across multiple industries and markets, giving Clarion access to a larger global infrastructure for venue relationships, sales, marketing and event expansion.

The buyer expects Clarion's revenue to exceed £575 million, approximately $762 million, in 2027.

That forecast reflects the scale of the business beyond gambling, although ICE remains one of the assets specifically highlighted in Informa's investment case.

ICE Becomes Part of a Larger Global Events Group

The transaction represents a major ownership change for one of the iGaming industry's most important event organisers.

Under Blackstone, Clarion expanded the international profile of ICE and repositioned the event with its move to Barcelona.

Informa's acquisition could provide further opportunities to grow the exhibition internationally and integrate it with a broader portfolio of business events.

However, no specific changes to ICE or iGB Live have been announced as part of the transaction.

Until the acquisition closes, Clarion continues to operate under its existing ownership and management structure.

Completion is currently expected late in the fourth quarter of 2026 after the required regulatory approvals are secured.

For Informa, the deal adds a large-scale exhibitions business with strong positions in several specialist industries. For iGaming, it means ICE and iGB Live are set to become part of a significantly larger global events group following almost a decade under Blackstone ownership.