Malta Set to Establish a Gaming Academy

Malta announce plans to establish a gaming academy (Image: Malta Today).

Maltese government is seriously weighing up the prospect of building a gaming academy in an attempt to better prepare its young residents for numerous jobs available in the industry, according to Jose Herrera, the Parliamentary Secretary for Economic Growth.

The island country has long ago become regarded as one of the largest gaming jurisdictions, having become the first member state of the European Union to legalize remote gaming. As a result, a number of gambling operators are based out of Malta, and continue to employ local residents, thus boosting the country’s economy.

And having recognized the potential of remote gaming, the government now aims to establish an actual gaming academy with a university course that would cater specifically for the gaming industry.

Jose Herrera revealed his plans while touring the offices of Germany betting company Tipico in St Julian’s that already employ around 160 people in Malta and plan to have over 200 employees in the base by 2015.

Seeing as how the gaming industry already makes up for some 12% of Malta’s GDP, it is hardly surprising that the government sees online casinos, sports betting and poker as areas that could bring them additional revenue and further improve the economy.

While he is happy to see so many foreigners coming to Malta to work in the industry and becoming effectively integrated in the society, Herrera admits he would like to see more Maltese residents employed by the gaming operators holding a license in the country.

14 Years of Online Gaming in Malta

It was in 2000 that the process of licensing online gambling operators first started in Malta under the Public Lotto Ordinance with the Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LGA) responsible for regulating gaming within the country. Over 500 gambling websites are currently licensed by the governing body.

Since 2004, Malta has been offering gaming licenses in four different classes, which need to be renewed every five years. Having made UK’s White List of countries that comply with their rigorous regulations, Malta has become even more attractive for online gaming operators seeing as how those companies holding a license in Malta are free to advertise their services to UK residents.