Malta's gambling industry recorded approximately 7.5 million active online player accounts during the first half of 2025, while land-based casinos attracted nearly 850,000 visits across the year. Figures published by the Malta Gaming Authority highlight the scale of the country's gambling sector, alongside thousands of requests for assistance from casino and betting customers.
An analysis of the latest regulatory data by Players Time, a casino dispute mediation service that helps players resolve complaints with gambling operators, examines online gambling participation, casino attendance and player protection trends shaping the industry in 2026.
Online gambling records 7.5 million active accounts
According to the Malta Gaming Authority's interim performance report, 7,487,140 active player accounts were recorded across MGA-licensed gambling websites during the first six months of 2025. The regulator also reported approximately 2.17 million new active player accounts and 9.3 million new registrations during the same period.
These figures demonstrate the international scale of Malta's regulated online gambling market. However, they represent player accounts rather than unique individuals, and include customers based outside Malta. Consequently, they cannot be used to calculate the percentage of Maltese residents participating in online casino gambling.
The Malta Gaming Authority attributed changes in account activity partly to regulatory developments, evolving licensing strategies and operators moving between jurisdictions.
Nearly 850,000 visits to Malta's casinos
Land-based casinos recorded 846,848 visits during 2025, according to the regulator's annual figures published in July 2026.
Casino attendance declined by 4.8%, while gaming revenue increased by 17.9%. This contrast indicates that the average gaming revenue generated per visit increased despite fewer visits overall.
The figures suggest that casino spending and customer attendance can follow different patterns. Higher revenue does not necessarily indicate an increase in the number of people gambling. Physical casino attendance is also distinct from online gambling participation, making it important to consider both sectors separately when assessing consumer behaviour.
More than 3,600 players requested assistance
Player protection represents another significant aspect of Malta's gambling sector. The Malta Gaming Authority received 3,643 player assistance requests in 2025, while resolving 3,718 cases, including complaints carried forward from previous periods. This amounts to approximately 10 assistance requests received per day throughout the year.
The regulator also received 1,757 player funds reports and conducted 14 data extractions to support the protection of customer money.
Players Time identifies withdrawal delays, account verification requirements, bonus disputes and payment restrictions as important issues for casino customers seeking assistance. When a complaint cannot be resolved directly with an operator, players may need access to independent dispute resolution services or the appropriate regulatory complaints procedure.
What the figures reveal about gambling participation in 2026
Malta's gaming industry enters the final months of 2026 with substantial international online account activity, hundreds of thousands of physical casino visits and significant demand for player assistance.
The figures also reveal an important distinction between gambling participation and gambling intensity. While fewer visits were recorded at physical casinos, revenue increased, demonstrating that higher spending does not necessarily require higher attendance.
For online gambling, the 7.5 million active accounts recorded during the first half of 2025 illustrate the international reach of Malta-licensed operators rather than domestic participation.
Players Time concludes that the latest evidence points to a large, internationally connected gambling sector in which consumer protection and access to dispute resolution are essential. A verified 2026 participation rate specifically for Maltese residents, however, requires a representative population survey rather than operator account figures.
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