The Maltese Gaming Authority today launched a voluntary ESG code for the remote gaming sector. This code will be serving as a point of reference for operators to evaluate, report and improve their practice when it comes to principles of environmental protection, social protection and promoting good governance.
While addressing a news conference, where this code was launched, the Minister for the Economy, European Funds and Lands Silvio Schembri said that the environment, the social element and that of good governance we have seen them also as main pillars even in the Malta Just budget, a budget through which we are continuing to incentivize tomorrow’s economy through a strategy towards new sectors, such as the new economic niches emerging from the gaming sector.
“During the past year the added value generated by the gaming industry was €1.5 billion. This while it is a sector that also generates quality jobs. By the end of last year, 11,200 people were working directly in this sector. A figure that rises to almost 16,000 if we consider the indirect jobs generated by this industry,” said Minister Silvio Schembri.
He explained how today from this sector we are expanding towards new economic niches including esports and video game development. In the field of esports, with the agreement reached with the ESL Pro League Season, where the final is being held in Malta, we have become an important center for this industry.
On video game development, Minister Schembri said that our country has already attracted big names such as Dorado games, Narc, Anvil and Keyword Studios. “We already have 250 people working in this sector in our country and our target is for this sector to grow to 1% of GDP by 2028. Minister Schembri thanked the authority for its work not only in the regulatory field, but also in the valuable work it does to see that this sector continues to strengthen and adopt good practices.
Chief Executive of the Maltese Gaming Authority Carl Brincat said that across the industries the need for more transparency and accountability when social and environmental issues are addressed is growing. “The Maltese Gaming Authority has always been at the forefront of driving innovation and progress in the regulatory field. Our job is not only to supervise the gaming industry, but also to look after it and to offer a space where licensed operators in our country continue to grow in a healthy way, while the social demands of this industry continue to be protected. -industry. The voluntary ESG code that we launched today helps us precisely to achieve this goal,” said Carl Brincat.
The Head of Politics and International Affairs of the Maltese Authority, regarding Games Kinga Warda explained the development of the ESG code and how this was an exercise of extensive collaboration with the gaming industry. “The process involved different phases to make sure that the code reflects the needs of the remote gaming industry in our country and that it is also in line with our role as a regulator of this sector ,” said Mrs. Kinga Warda.
