Malta’s Gaming Sector: Current Developments And Future Trends

Malta remains one of Europe’s principal jurisdictions for online gambling, with reportedly more than 300 operators currently licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority (the “MGA”). In 2026, attention has so far increasingly shifted to a set of developments that point to a more intricate phase of the jurisdiction’s evolution within this sector. Several themes stand out; in particular, the continuing legal pressure surrounding Article 56A of Malta’s Gaming Act¹ (commonly referred to in the industry as “Bill 55”), the emerging policy discussions in the wake of the “prediction markets” boom, and a series of targeted reforms to Malta’s gaming tax and VAT frameworks. Taken together, these developments are best understood as adjustments that operators may need to navigate and, in the case of prediction markets, as possible new opportunities, rather than as a break with Malta’s established model.