GamingMalta is set to showcase Malta’s iGaming ecosystem as a cohesive force, as part of a national presence at ICE Barcelona. The event brings together leading stakeholders into a single space starting January 19th, 2026.
Besides the GamingMalta team, the expo space will host representatives from the Malta Gaming Authority, Identita’, Bank of Valletta, and Malta Enterprise, thus offering a comprehensive view of how the island’s iGaming system operates in practice.
This move comes at a particularly crucial time for the industry. Regulation has dominated boardroom discussions over the past two years, as jurisdictions across Europe and beyond introduce new licensing regimes and compliance requirements.
In many jurisdictions, these shifts have arrived quickly and unevenly, leaving operators having to repeatedly reassess where stability can realistically be found. GamingMalta CEO Ivan Filletti emphasises that Malta’s position has been shaped in the opposite direction, through regulatory continuity and institutional consistency and support built over time. That steadiness has allowed the island to retain influence that belies its small size.
“Leading players in the iGaming ecosystem have responded to the consistency of the framework that Malta provides. Through these years, Malta has gained the reputation of being the world’s iGaming Silicon Valley, and the expo space at ICE will reflect this. We are relentless in our work to ensure that Malta remains the home of excellence for everything related to gaming, and this is the approach that we will be presenting at ICE,” Mr Filletti explains.
The Malta booth will create a single point of contact for companies that are interested in bringing their business to the island, with experienced professionals on hand to answer any questions about licensing, banking, workforce mobility, and compliance. There will also be an interactive element, thanks to a virtual reality roulette experience developed by Malta-based studio Draw & Code.
“Operators, investors and any businesses operating within the iGaming ecosystem can engage directly with the institutions that shape the jurisdiction. This is the natural next step for our Make It in Malta campaign, which has successfully highlighted how the island’s infrastructure has contributed to the success of big names that have now made Malta their headquarters,” Mr Filletti elaborates.
Malta holds numerous attractions for those seeking to move their business here, with the landscape and legislation structured in such a way as to facilitate operations. Experienced suppliers, service providers and regulators operate within close proximity, reducing the distance between policy and implementation. Initiatives such as the iGaming Council, which brings operators and policymakers into ongoing discussion, have reinforced this closeness, creating feedback loops that are often missing in larger jurisdictions. And now, with Envision 2050 – Malta’s broader national strategy – placing gaming as one of seven priority sectors for economic growth, GamingMalta is firmly focused on ensuring that this vision is translated to reality in a sustainable manner.
“The sector already contributes around €1.5 billion to the Maltese economy, with projections pointing to a significantly larger share by 2035. But what we’re working on goes beyond the figures, with a strategy that places gaming firmly within the country’s future economic planning,” the GamingMalta CEO says.
For companies making long-term decisions, he adds, this kind of long-term policy planning matters. And Malta’s workforce is central to this strategy. The gaming sector employs around 14,000 people, supported by training pathways and labour mobility policies that operators consistently rate highly. Surveys conducted by the Malta Gaming Authority show strong satisfaction with skills availability, workforce ethics, and training quality, while institutions such as MCAST have expanded courses aimed directly at the sector.
“Alongside this established gambling sector, Malta has seen parallel growth in esports, game development and immersive technologies. These fields draw on overlapping skills and infrastructure, creating space for collaboration without forcing convergence,” Mr Filletti continues.
GamingMalta views this development as part of a broader move towards a high-value, innovation-driven economy. That direction will be embedded in its Gaming Manifesto, which builds on two decades of industry presence and outlines priorities ranging from maintaining competitive taxation to strengthening responsible gaming standards and supporting innovation.
“This is linked to the Vision2050 which reflects an understanding of the sector as embedded in Malta’s economy rather than transient. This is also evidenced by the fact that, among the island’s largest gaming operators, the average length of operation now exceeds a decade. Once companies establish themselves, they tend to stay.”
As ICE Barcelona opens its doors, the Malta booth will place Malta’s iGaming institutions, regulators and industry bodies in the same room. The picture that emerges is one of a system built to function over time, shaped by policy continuity and long-term planning. And for operators making decisions with regulatory and operational consequences, this tried-and-tested approach is key.
Book your meeting with GamingMalta, MGA or any of the co-participants at ICE on: https://www.gamingmalta.org/make-it-in-malta/ and visit the Make it in Malta booth in Hall 4 Booth 4C40.
This article has been published on iGamingCapital.MT by Content House.
