When it comes to how we work, the Covid-19 pandemic had a lasting, undeniable impact.
In some cases, we look back in horror at having to cram our work computers into our living spaces four
years ago and think ‘never again.’
More widely across the industry, however, the idea of working at home actually left a positive impact. In
Malta – and iGaming more broadly – the idea of fully remote work has been embraced by tech
companies and game design studios alike.
More commonly, as our cover feature explores through various interviews and statistics, companies are
setting up a hybrid system. This way, employees regularly meet in groups at a physical office to preserve
a sense of team togetherness, while additionally utilising the flexibility of not having to commute on
certain days of the week (and allocate more time for childcare, chores and more).
As some of our interviewees point out, remote work suits certain vocations – one example given is
recruitment – as the main action doesn’t happen 9-5 but in prime evening hours.
However, in the office vs remote debate, we quite often hear one-sided stories of the benefits of
working in pyjamas, skipping train rides and saving time.
There are obviously productivity issues that are exacerbated when an underperforming employee is
allowed greater freedom and scope to avoid deadlines; there are obviously human elements that are
missed when people do not meet in person, and socialise at lunchtimes and after work; and there are
obvious disadvantages to trying to train someone remotely when they can’t see or hear how the job is
done all around them.
That’s why, in our cover feature of this Malta Focus edition, we try to present an objective assessment
of all three sides: fully office-based, fully remote and hybrid. The overall concept most at stake across
the three is that of company culture – and, whichever model you find most effective, the importance of
culture cannot be underplayed.
Elsewhere in this issue, we of course provide our In Focus company profiles, featuring a host of
organisations with prominent operations in Malta. Some tell us all about the company itself, while
others – such as Soft2Bet – have used the space to talk about Bill 55, which pits Maltese law vs the EU.
Ahead of the Global Gaming Awards EMEA’s move to Barcelona in January, meanwhile, we review some
of the Awards’ biggest Malta-based winners from over the years. As time goes by, Malta’s impact on the
wider gaming industry grows – as does the number of winners hailing from the archipelago.
We also preview SiGMA Malta (a show at which you may well be reading this very page…) and look back
on a timeline of Malta’s history as a gaming hub. Further into the magazine, we hear from Malta Gaming
Authority CEO Charles Mizzi, look into AML developments within Malta – and assess the growth of Ceuta
as a potential rival hub.
All in all, as another year goes by in gaming, there is plenty to reflect upon, discuss and still so much to
learn heading into 2025. And that applies to everyone – whether you’re sitting in an office right now or
reading this in your living room!
TP, Editor
Powered by Gambling Insider, the Global Gaming Awards are the gaming industry’s most prestigious. With the EMEA edition coming up to its eighth edition in January, we looked back at a few of the winners originating from Malta
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