‘We can’t stand still’: GamingMalta CEO outlines next phase of gaming growth 

GamingMalta CEO Ivan Filletti said the country must maintain a “relentless” attitude in the next phase of growth for the gaming industry. 

During his keynote at the recent Next.io summit, Mr Filletti pointed out that gaming currently contributes more than €1.5bn in sector GVA and accounts for around 6 per cent of national GDP. 

The Vision 2050 target is for the sector to reach between €2.3bn and €2.8bn in GVA by 2035, with a compound annual growth rate of 5 to 6 per cent.

“The numbers show the scale of that work, but they also show why we cannot stand still,” Mr Filletti said. “A jurisdiction has to keep improving once it has built credibility. And this is why I choose to use the word ‘relentless’ to describe the work we do.”

He said the ecosystem must constantly be energised, referring to a recent update to the VAT and gaming tax framework after authorities realised that trapped input VAT was creating a real cost for operators. 

Moreover, he said it must continue attracting talent, referring to the Highly Qualified Persons framework which offers a 15% flat personal income tax rate to eligible senior and specialist professionals.

Finally, he said that the next phase should go beyond iGaming, and include video game development, esports, content creation, and streaming. 

“This is another part of the implementation of Malta Vision 2050,” he said. 

“The direction is towards interactive entertainment, with innovation, talent, and global partnerships forming part of the growth path.”

Indeed, he pointed out that recent local BLAST tournaments attracted 126M live views, with 48.5M hours watched, and 1.9M peak viewers, pointing towards impressive global audiences.

Cover photo: GamingMalta