In April 2020, the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), conducted a survey among its licensed online operators to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the gaming sector through its Information & Research unit. The survey covered a number of different areas, including impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Gaming Revenue (GR) or revenue, operating costs and investments. It also focused on the industry concerns and actions taken by operators during this pandemic.
The results show that the worst hit sector is projected to be the B2C sector, in particular the operators exposed to Type 2 game types. Indeed, the GR for this sector is projected to be 40% lower than that projected in earlier budgets for the same full year 2020. Most of the operators are considering postponing investment plans for a later date, subject to a notable degree of uncertainty. The key highlights from this survey are presented below.
The MGA will continue following closely the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and further surveys aimed as assessing other impacts will also be conducted.
