At the 2026 edition of the ICE conference, which is returning to Barcelona for its second consecutive year, one of the main content themes advertised by the event is sports betting. Specifically, how collaboration and integration between operators and “big tech” will define the future of the industry. As one of, if not the, leading vertical in capturing the attention of nearly all those involved with gaming, sports betting continued to dominate headlines throughout 2025, but none greater than the topic of prediction markets. 

While not specifically mentioned within ICE Barcelona’s sports betting content theme, the event does state it will take a broader approach to opportunity within the industry which could begin making itself prevalent overseas by 2026. Given the partnerships formed by operators with international backing, such as Flutter Entertainment’s ownership of FanDuel, to officially enter the prediction markets space, it would come as no surprise to see the offering take over discussion at ICE Barcelona in January.   

On 20 August  2025, FanDuel began collaborating with derivatives marketplace CME Group for the development of “fully funded, event-based contracts with defined risk,” where customers will have the opportunity to “express their views” multiple times a day on numerous markets with “yes” or “no” positions for as low as $1. The partnership has since resulted in the launch of FanDuel Markets, a new application set to be released within the coming months and providing current FanDuel users with a simplified way of trading event contracts.  

Not to be outdone by its fellow goliath, DraftKings acquired Railbird Technologies and its wholly owned subsidiary, Railbird Exchange, to officially begin offering prediction markets to users and support the operator’s future growth in the gaming type. DraftKings Co-Founder and CEO Jason Robins originally hinted to Global Gaming Insider of the operator’s future plans to enter the prediction markets space in August, as DraftKings is set to unveil its new DraftKings Predictions mobile application by the start of 2026.   

Whether DraftKings and FanDuel will be allowed to integrate the offering within its current services remains to be seen in the US, but ICE Barcelona could present an intriguing glimpse into whether prediction markets can form new life across the pond as well. The event does not specify whether prediction markets or contract trading will be part of the 2026 rendition of ICE, but it feels safe to assume the offering will find its place given the expected growth from two major US operators.  

In September 2025, it was reported Robinhood began discussions with the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to determine how such products could be offered to residents based overseas. One of the main challenges still presenting itself is the regulatory classification of prediction markets from a European perspective, given the offering is viewed as a futures product and regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in the US. If current European regulations place contract trading under the same oversight as gambling, it could take a significantly longer period for the gaming type to build its presence in non-US markets than American counterparts.   

Robinhood VP and GM of Futures JB Mackenzie confirmed the marketplace is looking to expand its services to the UK and Europe in early October, as the regions have showcased the “strongest demand” for prediction markets products throughout 2025. CEO Vlad Tenev reported the platform eclipsed 4bn contracts traded all-time on September 29, with over half the activity witnessed in the third quarter of 2025 alone.   

ICE Barcelona 2026 will bring together many of the notable executives and representatives currently involved with the growth of prediction markets, and could serve as Europe’s first taste of the polarizing world of contract trading. Most of the attention garnered by such offerings will continue to be highlighted by US expansion across the final months of 2025, while the UK and Europe prepare to enter the spotlight come next January. Predicting the future of contract trading is a near-impossible task for any individual within gaming, but ICE Barcelona 2026 will surely provide clarity on a muddled window of opportunity for various entities.