The figure reached a new high compared to the H1 2021 decline registered by the same casinos. The same is true when compared to the previous high reached by this indicator in the first half of 2020.

What Triggered the Rise in MGA-Licensed Casino Players?

The increase in the number of players who preferred MGA casinos during the first half of last year can be mainly attributed to the record number of new online casino accounts that were created during that time. Namely, 8.9 million players decided to sign up for an account. Most of the new players were younger players, with a quarter having ages between 18 and 24. 

Plus, the gaming industry in the country also generated €573 million ($615 million) in gross value added for H1 2022. The figure represented 8% of the economy in Malta. At the same time, the gross value added total went up 12.4% compared to the H1 2021 numbers. 

The sector’s capacity to stay flexible and rapidly adapt to changes was best seen in the 10,861 new employees that joined the gambling industry as of June 2022, signaling close to 600 additional employees compared to 2021. 

As of the end of H1 2022, there were 357 online and brick-and-mortar casinos licensed by the MGA. The same companies held 363 gaming licenses in total, and 374 approvals to provide different types of games under their Business-to-Consumer licenses. 

MGA-Casino Revenue by Type of Licence 

Type 1 licenses which are licenses that cover online casino games and other similar verticals have created a new all-time high at 71.5% when expressed as a share of the overall revenue. Of the total, close to 80% was generated by slot games.

Type 2 licenses that cover sportsbooks generated a revenue drop, reaching 21.3%, while type 3 licenses that handle poker and similar peer-to-peer betting options remained well-balanced, representing 7.1% of the revenue.

In H1 2022, the MGA also gathered €39.8 million ($42.7 million) in the form of compliance contribution fees, consumption taxes, and levies. The number of land players that visited brick-and-mortar gaming venues in H1 2022 went up by 41.9% compared to H1 2021. 

In spite of the global developments in recent years, Malta has managed to preserve a steady and robust outlook on its gambling industry, while emerging in a stronger position. 

In December 2022, END 2 END reached an important milestone by obtaining a license from the MGA. During the same month, Octoplay was also given a license from the same authority.