Malta ‘will continue to provide necessary tools to sector to see more growth’ – economy minister

“As a Government, we have always believed in the iGaming sector and we have strived to provide an environment for the industry to grow. We are continuing to work so that the entire ecosystem of this industry remains strong,” said Malta's Minister for the Economy, European Funds and Lands Silvio Schembri on launching the iGaming Next three-day event being held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre.

Minister Schembri stated that, from visits to gaming companies to launches of events tied to gaming and addressing high-profile conferences, it is clear that the sector is a dynamic one.

“As a Government we believe that the gaming industry in our country will continue to grow and transform our economy and therefore it is in our interest to safeguard this industry: be it gaming, video game development or esports,” he added.

On gaming sector employees, Minister Schembri said that Malta has always attracted the best talent in the field and will continue to attract more young people to the sector. He explained that, “At MCAST and at the University of Malta, students and lecturers can attend the Unity certification programme. Today, we also have educational programmes in the iGaming sectors offered at Level 3 and 4, and we will not rest on our laurels, we will provide the necessary tools to talented individuals to make the industry even more successful.”

Minister Schembri said that in the near future, a Council for iGaming will also be set up, managed by the Gaming Malta Foundation. This will comprise of a high-level forum that assists and consults with various government entities on policies tied to this sector. The council will also help build a stronger relationship between government and industry.