"Sex, Depravity and Anarchy will rule into the depths of the night"
The International Gaming Expo is one of the largest and most attended gaming conferences and expos all year. Now, I didn’t necessarily say it was one of the best, for depending on who you speak to, IGE can something be a hit or miss. Being that IGE is so large it can be easy getting lost in the sea of gaming BSB so to speak, catering to everything from brick’n mortar casino slots to backend payment solutions for online casinos.
It makes sense then that a distinct networking party just for the online gambling community has taken place at IGE over the last several years. Called “Fire & Ice”, the massive networking party (which generally has less networking than partying) primarily caters to online gambling affiliates, yet brings together everyone from online casino operators to media suppliers. The latest of these party’s is just now winding down – the after parties that is 
– having went down at London’s Stable’s Market in Camden Town last Wednesday, January 27th.
As usual, Fire & Ice 2010 was organized by Lyceum Media, but this time around received help from Calvin Ayre – the dynamic duo did a tremendous job hyping up the Bacchanalian themed party in the final weeks leading up to the IGE in London. Needless to say, Fire & Ice has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 2002 with less than 100 online gaming professionals in attendance.
And while the tone of the party has always been one of “balls to the wall”, most attendees will agree the 2010 Fire & Ice was one of the wildest and most decadently extravagant yet. Lyceum and Mr. Ayre certainly had a lot to live up to considering the press release for the party went, “Mere imagination cannot prepare you for what’s in store. Sex, Depravity and Anarchy will rule into the depths of the night, provocative dark twists will unfold and reveal what made the Romans ban the Bacchanalia thousands of years ago.” Now, does that sound like a party or what?
I’ve certainly been to my fair share of online gambling affiliate parties. Montreal and Amsterdam take the cake, if you ask me. And the truth of the matter is that many of these networking parties are less exciting than a 50 year high school reunion. Now, I wasn’t at this year’s Fire & Ice (God knows the affiliate managers were hunting us down), but I do have to say that judging from the feedback, it looks like it was a good time.
By the looks of the pictures now posted on Lyceum Media’s website (http://www.lyceummedia.com/?page_id=16) a good time was indeed had by all, although I’m sure the best of the best good times were had out of the view of media photographers if you know what I mean. Let’s face it. In the end, the Roman deity wine and revelry, Bacchus, was quite pleased. The booze flowed like a river (thanks to sponsors GTECH G2, Cake Network, Bluff Europe, Intralot Interactive and Lyceum), there was dancing from the floor to the roof (ala aerial acrobats and a live cabaret), and plenty of sexy Bacchanalian babes adorning London’s pristine Gilgamesh Bar. Man, I wish I was there after all. Oh well, knowing Lyceum, they will probably come up with something even better next year.
