TheUltimateGuide Start-up Life, Business Essentials & Local Knowledge Malta: Home to About Us Global iGaming 2 4 Our Success Stories: Expat Life 40 10 Growing from Malta CONTENTS 30 14 Malta: We Doing Business: know iGaming Start. Run. Grow. 20 Our Sectors. Your Opportunities. Malta’s Malta’s Economy Gaming MALTA: HOME TO in 2019 Sector As at the end of June 2019 + GDP Growth: Economic Contribution: GL BAL +5.0% +13.6% Inflation: Number of Companies licensed by the MGA, 1.6% including both online and land-based entities: Debt to GDP: 283 2 43.0% 3 Number of gaming GA M IN G Unemployment rate: licences: Located in the centre of the Mediterranean, between Europe and North Africa, 3.5% 287 GOZO Malta is the European Union’s smallest member state. Famous for its 7,000-year Surplus: Number of approvals to history and 300 days of sunshine, Malta has emerged as one of the most remarkable offer various types of 1.2% games under B2C licence: success stories in the Eurozone. Recognised for its pro-business attitude, state-of- 328 the-art infrastructure and modest costs of doing business, it has become the go- Source: European Economic to country for growth-minded entrepreneurs and multinational companies. Forecast, Autumn 2019 St Julians Gaming Industry Sliema direct employment: Valletta MALTA Location: Southern Europe Official Name: Republic of Malta Area: 316 km2 7,011 Population: 440,000, of which: Maltese: 94% Foreign: 6% Languages: Maltese & English Airport Memberships: European Union, Eurozone, Schengen Area Sunshine: 300 days of sunshine/year (full-time jobs) When taking indirect employment Freeport Temperature average: Winter 12C, Summer 31C Annual rainfall: 600 mm Time: GMT+1 into account, the total full-time Currency: Euro Voltage: 240 Religion: Roman Catholic International Dialling Code: +356 employment in the gaming industry was estimated to be around 9,800 jobs (by the end of December 2018). WHATWEGamingMaltaSTAND is committed to: FOR We want you to feel at → Promoting ownership of the Malta brand among all stakeholders home from day one, to strengthen Malta’s position with the gaming industry; → Engaging with stakeholders and providing business support to ensure that and are ready to go Malta is the most attractive environment for the gaming industry to thrive; → Standing out through innovative ideas and leading the iGaming the extra mile and industry through research and promotion of the Maltese jurisdiction GamingMalta is an independent so as to be a proactive, dynamic catalyst for change; 4 non-profit foundation set up by introduce you to like- → Accelerating growth in the gaming sector by creating a dynamic 5 marketing mechanism anticipating market changes; the Government of Malta and the minded entrepreneurs, → Bringing stakeholders together – ensuring close cooperation while creating Malta Gaming Authority (MGA). business and networking opportunities for firms working in the sector; peer companies and → Establishing the necessary expertise and foresight to Tasked with promoting Malta as a future-proof the gaming sector in Malta; centre of excellence in the digital people you need to → Supporting the MGA in implementing the brand strategy and road map development for the gaming industry; and remote gaming sector globally, know, so you can easily → Collaborating with other Maltese sectorial promotion it is responsible for liaising with bodies to promote the overall image of Malta. facilitate your network local authorities to improve Malta’s Say Hello attractiveness as a jurisdiction of connections. Reach out to us for information on how we can facilitate your operations in Malta. and enhance the ecosystem Contact: GamingMalta FoundationBuilding SCM 02-03, Level 3, SmartCity, Ricasoli SCM100, Malta ABOUT US surrounding the gaming industry. T: (+356) 2247 3000 • E: [email protected] • W: www.gamingmalta.org "You come, you settle, you succeed" Our mission is to engage with all the key stakeholders Joining and and ensure we connect connecting the dots with the different parts of We also within the ecosystem the ecosystem to promote, support and promote is a vital component of our strengthen and accelerate start-up events so that game. Our networking events the growth across all Remote entrepreneurs are and international roadshows gaming sectors. gaming is only a part giving an opportunity serve as a platform for this. of this marvellous world to present their These also help to attract of gaming. So we are working 6 business models. investors to the iGaming on other verticals – eSports and 7 Malta is one of the most industry. Our strong Video Gaming. This all boils down advanced and respected economy, EU member to a talent game. We want to online gaming jurisdictions state credentials and work closely with the sector in the world. We want to keep resources, people and culture, in order to attract key it that way and continue to Business as well as a strong presence of B2B talent to Malta. narrate this success story. gets done here. and B2C companies and an affiliate Malta is the place cluster, give any operator an immediate where ingenuity and plug into the gaming sector. To this, determination pay off. add the lifestyle on this sunny You come, you settle, Mediterranean island, which, you succeed. is something special. Ivan Filletti Chief Operations Officer at GamingMalta "We have a bustling Attracting and nurturing both homegrown talent and Malta has seen iGaming ecosystem" attracting top talent to Malta licensed operators reach is a pivotal point of our vision. the 283 mark, and we continue to attract quality Recent We are We will look at ways of how to operators from all over Education surveys conducted by committed to smoothen the process for anyone the world. This augurs is key. Initiatives the MGA have consistently increasing collaboration looking at taking up a position well for the future. such as the European shown that iGaming is and will with the key stakeholders, in Malta and ensuring that Gaming Institute of Malta remain a key contributor to our being good listeners and onboarding foreign professionals Malta has will continue to be bolstered economic growth. Not only are gaming working on solutions which is as uncomplicated consistently proven to tangibly address the skills companies net contributors in Malta, will strengthen our position as possible. that we have a bustling mismatch and strengthen 8 in terms of revenues, but there are as Home of Gaming We will 9 iGaming ecosystem. We have the talent pipeline in the also strong economic multiplier Excellence. continue to intensify the resources, the people, iGaming sector. effects from expatriate workers our efforts to take a thought leadership and culture The relocating to Malta. to give iGaming professionals holistic view of the gaming convergence of sector, and we can only be and entrepreneurs the technologies will continue opportunity to connect with like- successful if we embrace new to pave the way for us to technologies and gaming minded individuals where ensure that blockchain business gets done. activities such as esports technologies and artificial and video game intelligence are given the right development. regulatory and commercial environment to succeed. Hon. Clayton Bartolo B. Accty (Hons), CPA, MP Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services and Digital Economy OUR SUCCESS STORIES: We are a nation of fewer than 500,000 people, yet we have probably produced more high-growth iGaming companies than any other country in Europe. GrowingFromMalta These are some of the companies who have found success coming to our country. Where Big Players Meet Game Changers 10 11 But it is not only the hundreds of gaming companies that are flourishing in Malta’s iGaming ecosystem. Gaming platforms, game developers and performance marketing companies have also chosen our island as their base. Malta is also home to a group of offering 12 dynamic service companies 13 a diverse range of best-in-class services that help your business succeed. How did that happen? We were the first European country to launch a dedicated regulatory framework for the sector in the early 2000s. Our regulatory stance and positive approach to the industry have helped us to become the most popular location for iGaming companies. With more than 280 iGaming companies, a brand-new regulatory package for the gaming industry and our drive to regulate the fast-growing DLT sector, we are MALTA: ensuring innovation does not dry up in the years ahead. 14 15 From global giants to start-ups, we know that costs are important to everyone. Malta is generally 20 to 30% cheaper WE KNOW than the more established European centres, while a company’s seed capital may last three to five times longer. iGAMING Business is running at a hectic pace. Malta is small but beautifully compact, with all the suppliers and service providers helping your gaming business go global in close reach. The iGaming industry is as colourful as a rainbow, and Malta offers a diverse workforce of local and foreign professionals. We know that you need to search among the best and the brightest when setting up your business. Home to iGaming Malta has garnered a reputation as hub for the iGaming industry. The presence of over 280 iGaming companies is proving an irresistible draw for platform providers, game developers, payment services, support firms, Who’s Here? start-ups and tech investors, who are flocking to our island in droves to join the thriving iGaming ecosystem. Some of the most instantly recognisable brands in the gaming world have set While many countries have tried to emulate us, few up in Malta: Betsson, Paddy Power Betfair, Interwetten, Unibet, Mr Green, have matched the commitment and innovation that and Tipico are some of the companies that maintain a strong presence on the Malta brings to supporting and helping the gaming island.