Informa agrees £2.24 billion deal for Clarion, owner of the ICE gaming show
Informa announced on 6 October 2026 that it will buy Clarion Events from Blackstone for an enterprise value of £2.24 billion. Clarion owns the ICE gaming trade show and the iGB events and news brands, and completion is expected towards the end of 2026.
The deal does not change anything for a South African player's account or money. It matters as a signal of how much capital sits behind the online gambling supply chain, and the trade shows involved are where operators, suppliers and regulators do business. Because no South African operator holds an online casino licence, players still need to check the licence of each offshore operator themselves.
What happened
Informa, the UK-listed events and information group, has agreed to buy Clarion Events from the private equity firm Blackstone. Informa puts the enterprise value at £2.24 billion. The announcement came on 6 October 2026, alongside a plan to separate Informa's academic publishing arm, Taylor & Francis, so the group can concentrate on business-to-business live events.
Clarion runs more than 100 specialist B2B event brands. One of them is the gaming trade show ICE, which recently moved from London to Barcelona.
The detail
Informa says it will pay for the deal with committed acquisition financing and the proceeds of a placing of about £940 million in new shares, which includes an offer to retail shareholders. Trade press reports that the purchase is expected to complete towards the end of the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to the usual regulatory approvals. Clarion's chief executive, Lisa Hannant, is reported to be joining Informa's executive leadership team afterwards.
Informa describes gaming as one of the categories that Clarion gives it immediate scale in, along with electronics and defence and security. Clarion's gaming division, now branded WorldGaming, also includes iGB Affiliate and iGB L!VE, and its publishing arm produces the iGaming Business news site.
What it means for South African players
This is a story about the businesses that run industry conferences, not about casinos, so nothing changes for a player's account, deposits or withdrawals. Events like ICE are where operators, game studios and payment companies meet regulators and sign deals. A new owner could shape how those events are run and priced.
The more useful point for players is a reminder of how large the supply chain behind online gambling is. South African players are served mostly by offshore-licensed operators, because no South African operator holds a licence for online casino games. For that reason, check each operator's licence and our review pages rather than assuming that a brand seen at a big trade show is authorised to serve you.
What to watch next
- Whether the deal completes by the end of 2026 and clears the regulatory approvals Informa has mentioned.
- Any changes to the ICE Barcelona programme or to the iGB events after the new owner takes over.
- Whether Informa says more about its plans for the gaming division when it reports its next results.
Gambling is entertainment with a real risk of loss. If it stops being fun, take a break and speak to someone you trust.