There are around 15,000 professionals working in Malta’s online gambling industry today. That’s a critical mass of talent and resources, and it’s very valuable.

As the online gambling sector continues to enter the mainstream, more jurisdictions are enacting their own legislation. A B2C licence from the MGA was once vital, but what role does it play today?

The value of the MGA’s B2C licence is proportional to the markets it gives you access to. The more that is reduced, the less value the licence holds. I’ve been in this industry for 13 years. When I started, most of Europe was accessible with a B2C MGA licence. Today, the only relevant markets that are left are Finland and Norway. If you look at Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Sweden, the UK – these countries have enacted local regulations or have banned online gambling outright. So these changes have precipitated a major shift in focus for the Malta gaming sector, with B2B activities becoming increasingly dominant.

What does Malta offer B2B iGaming operators?

Even though the B2C licence has lost a lot of its value, Malta, as a jurisdiction, has increased its attractiveness. There are around 15,000 professionals working in Malta’s online gambling industry today. That’s a critical mass of talent and resources, and it’s very valuable. Malta-based B2B firms own the IP of games played around the world, and when it comes to payments and money flows, many of the companies operating internationally are headquartered in Malta.

What are the main benefits and challenges for any iGaming investor looking at establishing a base in Malta today?

Speaking from my experience with EGT Digital, the company took a decision to establish an operation base here in Malta in late 2024. The reasons for that decision will be similar for any other company in the space. Most importantly, Malta’s mature gaming industry is a major attraction. Business opportunities arise from having staff physically present and connected with the broader ecosystem. The tax regime is also extremely favourable for any company investing in Malta. Business sentiment is very positive, and the country’s stability is very good for business.

As for challenges, I would say that 13 years ago Malta definitely had a cost competitive advantage compared to other European jurisdictions. That is largely gone, which means that certain operations with relatively entry level wages that used to set up here, like customer support or live casino studios, will struggle to offer their employees enough purchasing power to have a comfortable life in Malta. The other challenge can be described as infrastructural, whether it’s summer-time power cuts or the heavy traffic, which have had an impact on quality of life.

What is positive is that the Government seems to have realised that people – locals, foreign workers and foreign investors alike – no longer only care about economic growth, but want a better balance between money and quality of life. Recent announcements of new major national parks at Manoel Island and White Rocks, for example, indicate that these concerns are increasingly being taken into consideration and addressed.