Malta’s influence on the European online gambling market

Ever since the casino made the giant leap from being a strictly land-based pursuit to becoming an online pursuit in the 1990s, the industry has gone from strength to strength. It now sits pretty as one of the leading online industries with a worldwide worth of €80 billion. The European industry alone is reportedly worth half of that at €40 billion, and Malta sits right at the centre of it. So how did Malta, our little collection of islands with a population of just half a million people, become such a big influence on a multi-billion dollar iGaming market? 

Online casinos Malta’s biggest export? 

While tourism remains the biggest contributor to Malta’s GDP and machinery and transport equipment its biggest export, the iGaming sector has fast become a huge part of its industry. But that’s not to say that Malta owes more to iGaming than the reverse. In fact Malta’s licensing means that it hosts a significant number of the biggest brands, especially in Europe. Taking one look at a list of Malta online casinos at scams.info, one of the leading European brands LeoVegas is licensed by the MGA - the Malta Gaming Authority - for playing in all other legal jurisdictions. But that then begs the question, how much of the market is actually licensed here? 

Malta online casino licences go international 

Because players in any country can access casinos that are licensed in Malta, as long as their jurisdiction allows for online gambling and their country hasn’t been blacklisted by the MGA or any other relevant authorities, it means that the licence can be seen across the globe. According to data from xace.io, 10% of the world’s online gaming companies are licensed in Malta, suggesting that every one in ten players will be accessing a site with its roots in the country in some way. Such a footprint on the international stage means that any of the MGA’s initiatives and approaches are felt worldwide and something that happens here can very quickly have major ramifications on the other side of the globe. 

Malta online casino summit an industry leader 

Other than the fact that the country has something of an oversized influence on the worldwide casino industry through the MGA’s licensing of the best online casinos in Malta that operate across the globe, it can also lay claim to being host to one of the most popular industry events. SiGMA Europe has been a mainstay of the Maltese conference scene and it is where much of the industry expects to come together and discuss the future of iGaming, growth potential, and the obstacles that they have faced in the prior year. It is the pinnacle of the industry calendar for many, and the fact that it has long been Malta’s jewel in the crown is a testament to how the nation is seen as the home of iGaming. 

SiGMA gives back to Malta 

It’s not just that the iGaming industry benefits from Malta - it works the other way too. For the 2024 edition of SiGMA, the sheer number of attendees and their spending outside of the conference led to a €100 million boost to tourism spending in the country and even almost brought transport to its knees, as was reported. That’s a huge figure given that the annual tourism industry is around €2.6 billion. The spending brought in by this year’s conference represents just under 5% of the total GDP performance of the tourism sector. For just one event, especially one that many outside of the iGaming world may never have heard of, to provide such a boost to a country’s coffers shows the mutually beneficial relationship between the two. 

Fertile ground for a healthy Malta online casino future 

With so much hanging on Malta as far as the iGaming industry in Europe is concerned, it is clear that there will be further news and even greater influence from the islands. However, with jurisdictions across Europe looking at their own stances on player protection in the form of marketing and responsible gambling initiatives, it could be that the next big advances in Malta online casinos are in line with this. The MGA will be looking to keep in lockstep with its neighbours in order to keep its place as the home of the industry on the continent, and other nations will be seeking Maltese help in informing their own authorities. Needless to say, this would keep the country as one of the most influential single nations in online casino and sports betting. 

Disclaimer: Players must be 18 years + to partake in any gambling, betting or casino activity. Players are urged to seek help if they require it. Players play at their own risk.