Kendoo at ICE Barcelona 2026: Insights from iGaming Experts
Kendoo at ICE Barcelona 2026: Insights from iGaming Experts
Just one year after entering the industry, Kendoo arrived at ICE Barcelona 2026 with a clear purpose and a growing reputation. Welcoming visitors at Stand 1K50, the event became the provider’s first major offline brand showcase and a natural next step in its commercial journey.
Since launching in 2024, Kendoo has partnered with more than 50 operators and platform providers and gone live in over 25 markets, spanning CIS, Sweepstakes, Ukraine, and Canada, with further regulated market expansion planned for 2026. ICE Barcelona offered the ideal setting to reflect on that progress and to look ahead.
As a new brand, being present on the exhibition floor was about more than visibility. It was about trust, consistency, and demonstrating that Kendoo is built for long-term collaboration.
ICE was an important milestone for us. Launching a new brand is one thing, but presenting it confidently on one of the industry’s biggest stages exactly one year later is something else entirely. Brand awareness doesn’t happen overnight, it’s built through consistency, clarity, and showing up where it matters.
Olena Repey
Head of Marketing and Communication
ICE Barcelona once again confirmed that conferences remain a powerful commercial channel, not just a branding exercise. Face-to-face meetings, spontaneous conversations, and direct feedback continue to play a critical role, particularly at C-level.
For Kendoo, personal meetings were invaluable. Partners highlighted the strong performance of the provider’s content, noting that results speak for themselves regardless of Kendoo’s status as a relatively new provider. The professionalism and product knowledge of the team were frequently mentioned, reinforcing confidence in future cooperation.
The exhibition also underlined several strategic learnings: the importance of stand location for organic traffic, the impact of consistent pre- and post-event communication, and the fact that even the strongest campaigns only work when marketing, commercial, and product goals are fully aligned.
Product Philosophy That Delivers
Kendoo’s first year has been shaped by a focused product philosophy: delivering dependable, high-quality slot content built on familiar mechanics, strong art direction, and player-led design. A core belief behind this approach is simple - online slots do not evolve in isolation. Many of the mechanics and engagement models that perform well online are rooted in land-based success, refined over time through player behaviour and proven results.
Key Land-Based Insights from Kendoo Experts
Persistence Mechanics Continue to Dominate
Land-based development remains firmly oriented around perceived persistence. More pots, more sophisticated progress visualisation, and increasingly dynamic progression systems are now standard expectations. Hold and Spin formats are still the backbone of the floor, but they are evolving into layered experiences - incorporating Dragon Train-style mini-features, cash-on-reels mechanics, linked progressives, and re-spin enhancements. The direction is clear: proven mechanics, compiled and refined through modern structure and presentation.
Evolution Over Reinvention
Market leaders are not reinventing Hold and Spin, but extending it intelligently. Merkur’s Paw Link stood out by breaking the traditional reel layout, using a central reel as a feature trigger while supporting multi-level pots. IGT’s 4 Fortunes Link and Ring of Wealth demonstrated how subtle structural tweaks can refresh familiar bonuses without alienating players. Light & Wonder’s Perfect 8 pushed engagement further by layering Dragon Train bonuses, multipliers, cash-collecting free spins, and repeat-win mechanics - reinforcing longer play sessions. Fortune Doors showed how retriggerable bonus rounds can extend excitement while keeping the core mechanic intuitive.
Visual Arms Race
Visually, the land-based floor is increasingly bold and premium-driven. However, Kendoo experts note a growing overreliance on obvious AI-generated art in some titles. The strongest products balance visual richness with clarity: readable symbols, familiar structures, and gameplay that players can instantly decode.
These insights directly reinforce Kendoo’s existing strategy. A standout example, Kendoo’s 3 Fortune Trees, quickly became the studio’s top-performing title, averaging 500 rounds per player and laying the foundation for Kendoo’s 3 Pots core mechanic. Designed to enhance bonus engagement, extend game lifecycles, and improve replay value, the mechanic has since been expanded across multiple releases, including Kendoo’s first 4 Pots title launched in November 2025. Further evolution is already planned with the upcoming Master Pot mechanic.
Recent releases such as Zeus Power and 3 Gates of Pyramid reflect this philosophy in action - combining proven structures with modern execution, without chasing short-lived trends. It is a steady, research-driven approach that supports long-term operator performance and player retention.
This consistency has not gone unnoticed. During its first year, Kendoo was recognised with the SBC Award for Slot Developer of the Year (Small) - reinforcing the studio’s belief that understanding what already works, and executing it exceptionally well, remains one of the strongest strategies in the market.
Learning from the Floor
As Kendoo’s experts shared their research above, ICE Barcelona provided valuable insights into broader market trends, particularly within the land-based segment. While few completely new mechanics emerged, there was a clear evolution of proven formats: more layered Hold and Spin bonuses, additional pots, dynamic progress visuals, and rich—sometimes over-stylised—artwork.
What stood out just as much were engagement tactics beyond the games themselves. Live activities, visible prize showcases, and universally appealing giveaways consistently attracted foot traffic. These observations, alongside exposure to diverse stand concepts and visual approaches, will directly inform Kendoo’s future event strategy.
Celebrating with the Industry
To mark both its anniversary and ICE debut, Kendoo hosted an on-stand anniversary lottery, giving every visitor a 100% winning chance. The initiative created a steady flow of visitors and added a celebratory touch to meaningful business conversations.
Our first year has reinforced our belief that great games should speak for themselves. Every decision we’ve made has focused on delivering reliable, high-quality content that performs. ICE was a strong confirmation that we’re moving in the right direction - commercially, strategically, and as a brand.
Kate Romanenko
Commercial Director at Kendoo
Looking Ahead
With 14 new titles scheduled for release in 2026, an expanding international footprint, and a clear product roadmap, Kendoo enters its second year with confidence and momentum. ICE Barcelona 2026 was not just a milestone - it was a validation of the provider’s approach and a launchpad for what comes next.
Interested in working with Kendoo?
Get in touch with our commercial team at sales@kendoo.com to explore partnership opportunities and discover how Kendoo’s content can support your growth.
