Coutts, the 300-year-old private bank typically associated with royalty, is making an unexpected play for the video games industry by hosting London's gaming festival and positioning itself as a banker to the sector. This strategic shift reflects wealth managers' efforts to attract younger clients in emerging industries where substantial wealth is being created.

The gaming sector offers significant opportunities for wealth managers. With 26,000 people employed across 2,000 UK gaming businesses and professional tournaments offering prize pools like the upcoming $75 million payout, successful developers and gamers become prime clients. However, lending to game studios presents challenges as these businesses primarily hold intellectual property rather than hard assets for collateral.

While Coutts' parent NatWest has developed IP-backed lending through Inngot, most banks remain hesitant to lend against intangible assets despite UK businesses investing more in intangibles than tangibles. This creates a market gap that traditional banks have been slow to address, leaving opportunities for specialist players like Coutts to serve the growing wealth generated by the gaming industry.