Times of Malta – Stakeholders in Malta have taken a strong stand against the European Parliament’s proposals on iGaming, which include the possibility of each member state imposing its own licence on operators.
The topic was discussed at a public dialogue organised by the European Parliament Office in Malta with the Malta Business Bureau, with keynote speaker Ewout Keuleers of the European Gaming and Betting Association warning that dividing the EU into 28 different markets would render the industry unsustainable, raising costs considerably – and ultimately drive customers to illegal operators outside the EU.
“The need to get 28 separate licences would have a proportionately larger impact on Malta as the concentration of the cluster here is so strong.
“Other member states do not employ so many people – around 7,000 here. I do not know any other country in Europe which employs anything near this number…” he warned, saying that Malta needed to make a concerted and coordinated lobbying effort to ensure that the European Commission does not adopt the proposal.
“Malta needs a high level holistic strategic roadmap,” he said.
The EP report is the third attempt to bring some sort of order to the sector, which pits strong – and lucrative – state monopolies against the operators.
Malta’s rapid success as a leader in this field – it has 240 registered companies and more than 400 operating licences – means that it will be hit hard by the proposals.
MBB president George Vella was clearly incensed: “The EU should look at growth areas and see how to nurture them and not pander to those who want to defend their piece of pie,” he told the conference.
“There are clearly member states that are jealous of what Malta has achieved. The proposals go against the spirit of the EU.”
