The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has reinforced its commitment to shaping a resilient and talent-driven iGaming industry, for the benefit of Malta’s economy.
Publishing its Annual Report of 2024, the MGA detailed major strides in regulatory governance, workforce development, and international cooperation, to enhance Malta role as the catalyst for raising industry standards of a global iGaming sector.
2024 saw Charles Mizzi complete his first year as CEO of the MGA, prioritising a strategic focus on proactive measures to improve workforce skills, investment and development.
“Resilience also lies in our people,” Mizzi noted in his statement. “We invested in ensuring that the authority is equipped with the right skills and talent to support operators and meet the evolving demands of the gaming landscape.”
The MGA doubled down on its internal capacity, delivering more than 5,000 hours of staff training and launching performance management initiatives tailored for both managers and non-managers. The introduction of key performance indicators into its recruitment and appraisal systems helped align internal processes with operational excellence.
In parallel, the new MGA Values Awards scheme was launched to highlight staff members who exemplify the organisation’s core values: passion, transparency, competence, respect, and unity. It marked a cultural pivot that now places human capital at the centre of the MGA’s strategic framework.
While 2024 saw change within the Authority itself, the impact of the gaming sector on Malta’s wider economy remained robust. The MGA reported that the gaming industry generated €1.386 billion in gross value added (GVA), representing 6.7% of the national economy.
When accounting for indirect economic spillover, the sector’s contribution rises to 10.1% of Malta’s total GVA. That figure is testament to the central role the sector plays in national prosperity.
“This is not a marginal industry,” said MGA Chairperson Ryan Pace. “iGaming continues to be a pillar of economic stability and employment growth. Malta’s ability to serve as a hub for operators seeking long-term resilience continues to rest on the clarity of our regulatory framework and the credibility of its implementation.”
Equally compelling is the sector’s influence on employment. Approximately 18,000 individuals were employed either directly or indirectly by iGaming companies. Of these, 14,357 worked in roles tied directly to MGA-licensed operators.
The figure underscores the ecosystemic nature of gaming in Malta: a network of operators, developers, compliance specialists, legal and financial consultants, and ancillary service providers that together comprise 6.2% of the national workforce.
The licensing landscape also reflected a maturing market. As of year-end, the MGA reported 315 active licensees holding 323 licences. While modestly down from 2023, this stability speaks to the jurisdiction’s ability to retain quality over quantity. The average period of operation for licensed firms stood at 7.5 years, more than doubling to 13 years for the largest 100 operators by turnover. These operators alone accounted for 60% of all activity under the Malta licence, providing further evidence of enduring commitment from key market players.
On the licensing front, 28 new applications were submitted in 2024, with 17 licences granted. Notably, 65% of newly issued licences were for B2B services. Twelve operators submitted renewal applications, and eight were approved. As the Authority reiterated, these figures reflect not only licensing activity, but an evolution in the maturity and sustainability of operators.
To future-proof the sector, the MGA launched a host of operational and governance reforms. One notable initiative was the completion of a new supervisory methodology built around risk, outcomes, and evidence-based enforcement. In partnership with the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU), the Authority completed 43 anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing examinations. The outcomes of these reviews have begun to inform a new wave of operator obligations that will be fine-tuned through stakeholder consultation in 2025.
“Effective regulation should not hinder innovation but enable and nurture it,” said Mizzi. That philosophy was evident in the MGA’s dual strategy of enforcement and engagement. 2024 saw enhanced cooperation with the Malta Police Force and the conclusion of a renewed Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Gambling Commission. Malta also played host to the Gambling Regulators European Forum (GREF), welcoming delegates from over 25 jurisdictions.
The MGA’s proactive posture extended to sports integrity, where it convened Malta’s first Sports Betting Integrity Conference in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UEFA, and the International Olympic Committee. The Authority also joined forces with INTERPOL’s Match-Fixing Task Force and finalised a data-sharing agreement with the International Table Tennis Federation. As betting markets grow more sophisticated, so too must the integrity mechanisms that support them.
Another area of progressive oversight was the expansion of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards. In 2024, fourteen operators voluntarily disclosed ESG metrics, receiving the MGA’s first-ever ESG Code Approval Seals.
“This is a forward step in aligning the gaming industry with Malta’s broader sustainability goals,” said Pace. As the 2025 ESG reporting cycle approaches, the Authority expects more operators to join the initiative, strengthening the social licence of the industry as a whole.
Cybersecurity also came under heightened focus. The formalisation of a Security Operations Centre, paired with a threat and vulnerability management programme, has placed the MGA at the frontier of public-sector digital resilience.
New infrastructure upgrades were supported by the formation of two new governance committees: one for IT and Data, and the other for AML Steering. This layered architecture allows the Authority to remain agile while ensuring internal and external trust in its processes.
These reforms form part of a broader transformation that sees the MGA acting not just as a regulator, but as an architect of long-term sector resilience. “The success of the MGA and the industry it regulates depends on a combination of strategic foresight and execution,” said Mizzi. “As we adapt to changing technologies and business models, our focus remains on quality, sustainability, and trust.”
Malta’s ability to maintain its status as Europe’s premier iGaming jurisdiction will rest on how effectively it evolves with the times, in which Mizzi backs workforce development as the principal platform to deliver on future objectives.
