Remote gaming is second biggest contributor to GDP

Jose Herrera - Malta is a "giant amongst remote gaming jurisdictions"

Malta Today 06/11/2014: The Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LGA) has announced positive interim results for the first six months of 2014 at a press conference held this morning.

Joseph Cuschieri, Executive Chairman of the LGA, told attendees that the number of licences issued in 2014 has increased by 25% and the number of registered companies has also gone up 17%  when compared to 2013. Total revenue from this sector is also up 1.3% while license processing time has decreased by 50%, now taking an average 2.5 months to be granted..read on.

Government to launch ‘Gaming Malta’ to promote iGaming

Parliamentary secretary for competitiveness re-affirms government's commitment to create a 'gaming academy' to bridge the gap between the skills of Maltese and foreign iGaming workers.

Malta Today 31/10/2014: The government will launch a scheme ‘Gaming Malta’ that will take care of the promotional aspect of iGaming, Parliamentary Secretary for Competitivenss and Economic Growth Jose Herrera said. He also re-affirmed the government’s commitment to create a ‘gaming academy’ that will bring Maltese gaming workers on par with foreign ones.

“A recent attractiveness survey by Ernst and Young showed that 77% of local ICT, telecommunications and gaming companies don’t think that the local market provides the skills they are looking for,” Herrera told the first edition of the ‘Summit of iGaming Malta’ that is expected to attract...read on.

Malta E-Gaming Review 2014/15

Tax News 07/10/2014: In autumn of 200, the Maltese government passed legislation enabling online betting centres to be set up in the country, and this legislation, coupled with provisions from the Income Tax Act written specifically for international companies, made Malta an attractive location for casino and sportsbook operations.

Malta became the first EU member state to regulate Internet gaming in May 2004 with the Remote Gaming Regulations under the Lotteries and Other Games Act 2001.

A large number of companies around the World expressed their...read on.

Malta became the first EU member state to regulate internet gaming in May 2004 with its Remote Gaming Regulations under the Lotteries and Other Games Act 2001. - See more at: http://www.tax-news.com/features/Malta_EGaming_Review_201415___572240.html#sthash.JFb28Gck.dpufmalte

In the autumn of 2000 the Maltese government passed legislation enabling online betting centres to be set up in the country, and this legislation, coupled with provisions from the Income Tax Act written specifically for international companies, made Malta an attractive location for casino and sportsbook operations.
Malta became the first EU member state to regulate internet gaming in May 2004 with its Remote Gaming Regulations under the Lotteries and Other Games Act 2001.
A large number of companies from around the world expressed interest in Malta, including Stanley Leisure, William Hill, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power, Unibet, GC Sports, International Allsports, and Eurofootball; in 2012, PokerStars launched Pokerstars.eu under the group’s
- See more at: http://www.tax-news.com/features/Malta_EGaming_Review_201415___572240.html#sthash.JFb28Gck.dpuf

In the autumn of 2000 the Maltese government passed legislation enabling online betting centres to be set up in the country, and this legislation, coupled with provisions from the Income Tax Act written specifically for international companies, made Malta an attractive location for casino and sportsbook operations.
Malta became the first EU member state to regulate internet gaming in May 2004 with its Remote Gaming Regulations under the Lotteries and Other Games Act 2001.
A large number of companies from around the world expressed interest in Malta, including Stanley Leisure, William Hill, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power, Unibet, GC Sports, International Allsports, and Eurofootball; in 2012, PokerStars launched Pokerstars.eu under the group’s new
- See more at: http://www.tax-news.com/features/Malta_EGaming_Review_201415___572240.html#sthash.JFb28Gck.dpuf

In the autumn of 2000 the Maltese government passed legislation enabling online betting centres to be set up in the country, and this legislation, coupled with provisions from the Income Tax Act written specifically for international companies, made Malta an attractive location for casino and sportsbook operations.
Malta became the first EU member state to regulate internet gaming in May 2004 with its Remote Gaming Regulations under the Lotteries and Other Games Act 2001.
A large number of companies from around the world expressed interest in Malta, including Stanley Leisure, William Hill, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power, Unibet, GC Sports, International Allsports, and Eurofootball; in 2012, PokerStars launched Pokerstars.eu under the group’s new
- See more at: http://www.tax-news.com/features/Malta_EGaming_Review_201415___572240.html#sthash.JFb28Gck.dpuf

Government committedto protectinggaming industry– Herrera

Malta Independent 03/09/3014: Parliamentary secretary for competitiveness Jose Herrera today reiterated the government’s commitment to the gaming industry, which employs 7,000 people in Malta and accounts for 12% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He said the government will protect the industry and looks forward to further expansion.
Speaking during a visit to Tipico, a gaming company, Dr Herrera said he is delighted to see such serious companies operating in Malta’s jurisdiction.

Tipico’s consumer responsibility is top notch, he said, and can serve as a model for the whole gaming industry. He said Malta has a strong legislative framework, as well as...read on.

EU financial assistance for the digital games sector

Times of Malta 23/02/2014: Following a few years of concerted efforts by various Maltese stakeholders, digital games development is coming ahead as the emerging sector at the confluence of the ICT and creative industries in Malta. Skills are being provided and continuously developed both at the University of Malta, Mcast and at a number of private educational institutions; the recently set up Institute of Digital Games at the University is pursuing much needed research, while a national Digital Games Fund and various fiscal incentives are covering some of the financial needs of the sector.

Indeed, we now see a number of companies, both local and foreign, being established in Malta, but they still need to make a bigger splash on the international market. Access to finance is seen as a limiting factor as neither access to venture capital nor to bank loans is easy for these companies.

While it might be opportune for Malta to take some bold steps and innovate in the area of collateral legislation to facilitate credit financing for creative projects, this will take some time. Until then, digital games companies can make the best out of...read on.

Malta is fourth most specialised economy in EU

Times of Malta 20/02/2014: Malta ranks fourth in terms of specialised industrial structures in the EU, according to a European Commission report.

Top place went to Ireland, which has a very strong pharmaceutical base; Sweden, which saw a considerable increase in the refining of petroleum products; and Romania, active in agriculture and fisheries, food products and textiles.

The European Commission report, ‘Competing in global value chains’, looked at the changes in specialisation between 2000 and 2012. Malta saw the most dramatic change in the category for arts, entertainment and recreation, which includes online gaming, which changed from an index of 1.40 to 6.45. Pharmaceuticals also grew from an index of 0.27 to 2.12, while furniture...read on.

Towards sustained economic growth

Malta Independent 15/12/2013: From the provisional estimates provided by the National Statistics Office (NSO), the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Malta climbed by 1.9 per cent in the third quarter of 2013. Malta’s GDP is influenced by a variety of business sectors, such as remote gaming, ICT and shipping that also contributed to this pleasant increase.

The remote gaming industry in Malta also affects the GDP. This is a multi-million euro business for Malta. Hundreds of licences have been issued, and thousands of jobs depend on it.

Malta is strategically positioned to attract remote gaming companies and it is our intention to maximize on our attractiveness in this sector. Having said that, we are fully aware that previous achievements in this sector are not essentially a guarantee for its future success. This is why we intend to embark on new strategic initiatives to boost this sector and take it to the next level. We want to maintain our competitive edge and keep on differentiating ourselves from...read on.

Malta E-Gaming Review 2013/14

Tax News 17/12/2013: In the autumn of 2000 the Maltese government passed legislation enabling online betting centres to be set up in the country, and this legislation, coupled with provisions from the Income Tax Act written specifically for international companies, made Malta an attractive location for casino and sportsbook operations.


Malta became the first EU member state to regulate internet gaming in May 2004 with its Remote Gaming Regulations under the Lotteries and Other Games Act 2001.

A large number of companies from around the world expressed interest in Malta, including Stanley Leisure, William Hill, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power, Unibet, GC Sports, International Allsports, and Eurofootball; in 2012, PokerStars launched Pokerstars.eu under the group’s new Maltese license.
Malta's economic policy encourages information technology operations, and the territory has invested heavily in state-of-the-art telecommunications. With the e-gaming sector using an estimated 50 percent of Malta's available bandwidth, there are now four high-capacity fibre-optic submarine cables linking the island with mainland Europe. As a result of this investment, there are already a number of Internet Service Providers in Malta, with clear interest being shown in...read on.

Mobile Online Gambling Growth Means Jobs

Found on Online-Casinos.com, September 17, 2013: "There is a great deal of positive energy around the online gambling industry because it is a clean compact economic solution. For places such as Malta, Gibraltar, the Isle of Man among other jurisdictions that employs thousands of people to support the business and pay taxes to their governments.

For 13 years, Gibraltar has become one of the most concentrated online gambling territories in the world, employing 2,400 people in the U.K. protectorate with a population of 29,000.

The recent spat over fishing rights with Spain also put the online gambling industry in some jeopardy. People were concerned their jobs would be in trouble should the problem escalate.

The online casino industry feeds a lot of people all over the world. The point is that many countries actively encourage gambling. 'I set up Malta as an internet gambling jurisdiction and asked them:..." read on.

Region Focus: Malta

By Will Freeman on develop-online.net August 30, 2013:

We uncover the fledgling development hub forming in southern Europe. 

Something unexpected is going on in the distinct land of Malta. Despite being a home to just 450,000 inhabitants the island nation is proving that it can play host to an up-and-coming game development hub.

Five hundred game makers are currently plying their trade in the Mediterranean country, and by the end of the year 20 game studios will already be operating there, proving a populace comparable to a mid-sized European town can very much contribute to the global games industry. Malta may not be poised to become the next Canada, but it is set to punch above its weight and establish itself as an attractive place to set up a games studio. So how has Malta built up a blossoming hub surrounded by the Mediterranean sea?

THE MEDITERRANEAN DREAM

The answer to that does have something to do with Malta’s universal benefits, and the very thing that attracts scores of holiday makers to the country every year.

“It’s a beautiful country,” offers Nick Porsche, founder of Dorado Online Games, who came to the country after working with Big Point just over three years ago.

“There’s a good work-life balance here. It’s inexpensive, English-speaking, and there’s pretty much blue skies all year round. In fact, it’s almost bathing weather most of the time. It’s the Mediterranean dream really. My family never really...read on."