This past year has seen industry leaders reconfirming the island’s unique advantages thanks to the Make It In Malta campaign and the upcoming design of the new Gaming Malta Manifesto is set to continue building on this. Gaming Malta Foundation CEO Ivan Filletti shares insight about the sector’s upcoming roadmap with Ramona Depares.
It’s been a defining year for Malta’s gaming sector. As 2025 draws to a close, the industry finds itself not at a crossroads, but on firm footing – consolidating gains, strengthening the strategy for sustainable growth and reaffirming the values that have shaped its success to date.
I’m meeting Ivan Filletti, CEO of the Gaming Malta Foundation, to take stock of the year gone by, and to gain insight into where the industry is headed next. The conversation that ensues isn’t just about milestones ticked off a list – although there have certainly been plenty – but about the longer game Malta is playing: one that makes the island truly deserving of the tagline “the home of gaming excellence”.
And that tagline is more than marketing gloss. It’s the principle that underpinned Malta’s emergence as a pioneering iGaming jurisdiction, and the CEO is adamant that it will continue to shape its future: “We’re not a centre, or a hub, we’re a home.”
This ethos builds on the R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (Responsible gambling, Entertainment, Speed, Professionalism, Enhanced due diligence, Consistency, Talent) campaign that Gaming Malta launched back in 2024, spearheading reputation management for the industry. The initiative has already yielded results by consolidating Malta’s standing in the global gaming landscape. And now, the country is positioning itself at the intersection of digital entertainment, immersive tech and esports (interactive entertainment).
“Malta’s reputation grew because operators could rely on predictable regulation, and institutions invested in building long-term trust. That framework has now become our reference point as we extend the sector to embrace new frontiers,” he says.
These words are reflected in Malta’s performance at global expos like ICE Barcelona 2025. Rather than promotions, Malta’s pavilion allowed the industry’s movers and shakers to do the talking as part of Gaming Malta’s ongoing Make It In Malta campaign. Founders who have grown their businesses in Malta over the past few years – some of whom reached notable milestones in 2025 – were united in their belief in and commitment to the island, with industry stalwarts like Pontus Lindwall, CEO of Betsson AB, acknowledging that the organization has been a key player in Malta’s industry for over two decades. Asked how Malta has contributed to the organisation’s strategic growth, the CEO’s reply was straightforward:
“Malta offers a strong jurisdiction where ideas can mature,
and where companies are empowered to scale with confidence.”
Ivan Filletti, CEO GamingMalta
“Malta has contributed a lot, through regulatory framework and a business-friendly environment. We arrived in 2004, and got our first licence in 2005. We decided on our first day that this was to be our operational hub, and it still is. We have great people from Malta working for us, and we have a long-term commitment. Malta has been good for us.”
Eman Pulis, the founder of Sigma Group, also acknowledged that the brand couldn’t have expanded and reached the stellar heights it did without the benefit of having Malta as its base.
And Todd Haushalter, Chief Product Officer at Evolution, likewise made a strong statement about the industry in Malta, referring to it as “a big part of the economy” that has enabled further growth into other industries, such as hospitality.
There are plenty more such glowing reports. Relax Gaming Chief Growth Officer Enrico Bradamante described Malta as having a “unique” gaming ecosystem, adding that the tax advantage, proximity and sheer density of the landscape translate into a “very big advantage”. And Soft2Bet Chief Financial Officer Max Portelli noted that there is “a lot of good talent available directly on the island”, while also praising our geographical connectivity. These accolades don’t come as a surprise to Mr Filletti. “We’ve had a strong platform for years, and now we are showing what’s being built on it,” he explains.
“What we’re hearing here aren’t slogans. They’re living proof that Gaming Malta’s Make It in Malta campaign is built on solid reality. For years, we’ve enjoyed the strong foundation that Malta built in the sector, but now we are evolving to the next stage. Malta offers a strong jurisdiction where ideas can mature, and where companies are empowered to scale with confidence,” he explains.
He adds that throughout 2025 the industry saw a number of new success stories, with founders, teams and investors choosing Malta for its robust ecosystem, which should not be taken for granted. And there’s a steady growth among international operators relocating to the island or expanding existing operations.
Malta’s next iGaming leap is framed within the government’s Vision 2050 strategy, the long-term national plan for digital entertainment that was launched earlier this year and is now firmly integrated into policymaking. The strategy signals a deepening commitment to evolve with the industry while staying true to the principles that built its reputation.
“Vision 2050 maps out how gaming will remain central to national growth, not just through iGaming, but by developing adjacent sectors like video game development, esports and immersive entertainment. Across the global industry we’re seeing a deliberate move toward integration, with plans to encourage convergence between gaming, media, fintech, and frontier technologies like AI and blockchain. And we’re ready to leverage this.”
Among the deliverables are incentives for local game studios, annual Tier 1 esports tournaments and the creation of fully renewable-powered data centres. It’s a vision that ties economic diversification to environmental responsibility and digital ethics. It’s a bold alignment, Mr Filletti acknowledges, but one that Malta is ready to pursue.
“Much of the groundwork for this expansion was laid years ago, when Malta launched its Vision for Video Games Development and Esports. The aim was to take a niche sector and turn it into a recognised contributor to GDP,” he confirms.
And this past year has already proven that the island is reaping the fruits of that approach, with international collaborations that include a multi-year agreement with Blast, one of the most respected names in esports production. The agreement will see Malta host nine major tournaments and serve as a European broadcast hub.
“Our country’s advantage is two-fold. We have an enabling infrastructure, with policy-makers who actually listen to the sector and to its needs – and who act upon them. Then there’s all the experience wielded by the industry. Years of regulating iGaming have created a bedrock of legal, technical and compliance know-how. That institutional memory now supports a new generation of gaming entrepreneurs, from indie studios to immersive-tech start-ups,” Mr Filletti continues.
And, as the industry enters more complex territory, blending entertainment, finance and social interaction, 2026 will see Malta pushing for frameworks that go beyond compliance.
“At the core is a belief that player protection, data ethics and mental well-being can never be treated as afterthoughts. This mindset is woven into Vision 2050, which calls for stronger oversight of emerging platforms, game design that promotes healthy engagement, and tools that give players more control over their behaviour and data. And now, the upcoming Gaming Manifesto details how Gaming Malta will support gaming as a central pillar of the economy through a series of pledges to industry.”
“The upcoming gaming manifesto details how GamingMalta will support gaming
as a central pillar of the economy through a series of pledges to industry.”
So what does it really mean to be a “Home of Gaming Excellence”? Malta’s answer isn’t one thing. It’s not simply about drawing in the next big studio or hosting headline events, but about creating an ecosystem that integrates infrastructure with culture, regulation with education, and opportunity with accountability across all the gaming verticals.
“The R.E.S.P.E.C.T. framework laid the foundations. Make It in Malta gave it a face. Now, Vision 2050 offers the long-term scaffolding for a future that reaches beyond gambling into the broader world of digital entertainment,” Mr Filletti concludes.
This article has been published on iGaming Capital 2026 Publication by Content House. Featured Image: Inigo Taylor
