Malta has tripled gambling taxes from October 1, 2026.

[Agbe]

The part where the gambling companies are made to pay more taxes means that winnings for gamblers would become harder and am sure the TOS would become stricter that any small default would see a gambler have their funds frozen without a good reason.

Do you not know that most gambling  profit is no gamblers like really, gambling profit are guaranteed for just two bodies. The first is the government and the second is the gambling site. But if government increases gambling taxes, definitely the gambers will be the one that will suffer the losses more with lower payout, lower bonuses, and lesser long term profitability. This is the reason we have all been saying that gambling should just be for fun.

Yes and that will make the gamblers to reduce their involvement in gambling and activities and once the gamblers who participating or patronizing the casinos are drastically reduced, the casinos will also fold up and look for another lucrative regions to launch their casinos. And if Maltese are doing it after seeing the decline of gambling revenue the. It is a clear indication that they want to reduce the participation of gamblers in the region. And not for the money.

[hedgeh0g]

It’s interesting to wonder who exactly decided to introduce this law and why most likely, it’s an attempt to strike a blow against the gambling industry. I can’t think of any other explanation. Perhaps they know something we don’t, or maybe they simply intend to reduce the number of people who gamble after all, the average player is bound to feel the impact of these changes in their own pocket. With the tax rate set to triple, players will likely see fewer bonuses, as casinos simply won’t have the spare cash to offer them. For now, all we can do is wait and see; it’s possible that, in the end, only a handful of casinos few enough to count on the fingers of one hand will remain.

[UpTober]

15% tax on casinos that's very generous because casinos have a house edge so their revenue could easily grow especially if people in that country love to play casino games. Last year Malta's gambling industry contributed over €1 billion to the economy, so if they could maintain that level or increase it, the tax collections by the Maltese government could significantly increase. Possibly even doubling from €82.4 million.

It seems that the people of this country are very interested in gambling, which is why the government of this country has increased the tax on gambling so much as a way to increase their revenue. However, I still think that the various casino companies there will manage their gambling sites well because even though they pay three times the tax from there, they will see good profits at the end of the year due to the high interest of the Maltese people in gambling.

[Findingnemo]

I don't think this applies only to the physical casinos but also any form of gambling, and if I am not wrong this applies to the citizens of that nation not to everyone and 90% of the users who use malta regulated casinos are from different country and they have different taxation. So it is to discourage their people from gambling but irnony is gambling revenue is one of the major part of their economy, should think about it.

[Lida93]

This rise in taxes from the government of Malta could be as a result of increase in gambling, it seems the government has just realised that there is a significant increase in gambling among the citizens and after doing their maths tends to increase the taxes on gambling platforms in order to realise more revenue.

I consider this move by a government a very smart one and this means that if there is any other increase in gambling activities by the government then the government may likely slam more increase on taxes to the casinos and other betting platform operating in the country.

[Bitcoin Maxi]

I don't think this applies only to the physical casinos but also any form of gambling, and if I am not wrong this applies to the citizens of that nation not to everyone and 90% of the users who use malta regulated casinos are from different country and they have different taxation. So it is to discourage their people from gambling but irnony is gambling revenue is one of the major part of their economy, should think about it.

If this will not affect players that are not from Malta but using casinos that are registered there then is can be seen as a preferable option since it's only for players from there that will be affected. I don't know why the government will have to increase the taxes that gamblers are supposed to pay. I don't know how the taxation works in Malta but the taxes should be for winnings only not for all bets.
This tax increment can reduce the known numbers of gamblers gradually.

[BigTarget]

This rise in taxes from the government of Malta could be as a result of increase in gambling, it seems the government has just realised that there is a significant increase in gambling among the citizens and after doing their maths tends to increase the taxes on gambling platforms in order to realise more revenue.

I consider this move by a government a very smart one and this means that if there is any other increase in gambling activities by the government then the government may likely slam more increase on taxes to the casinos and other betting platform operating in the country.

When most European countries are in brink of facing recession, I am sure that this type of hike to ensure sufficient revenue for a government is highly expected. Malta is known for heaven of providing easy licence for casinos hence they are already a capital for casinos and when they are tripling taxes would not harm them by any means even one or two casinos would decide to exit with the reason of heavy taxation, yeah there are more than enough casinos are operating based on Malta to support them for ensuring good revenue.

Moreover, some people are seeing this higher taxation to control the increase of casinos but I am not seeing in that way because casinos are known for making huge profits and extra cut to their income will not bother them much compared to ceasing their complete operation. So, it would be win-win for both Malta government and casinos.

[Gost ms]

This is just insane. Why can't they just tax all the games at once instead of taxing each games separately. And it is not good for the government to tax gamblers and let them allow the casino to do their job. Most of those casino licensing countries thought casinos are making enough money and they want to collect back those Money through the gamblers and this will make the gamblers to reduce their activeness and that will make casinos' companies to stop operating.

It would be better for them to collect the flat rate tax of the 5% than the overrating tax which will make people to stop operating their casinos there.

The part where the gambling companies are made to pay more taxes means that winnings for gamblers would become harder and am sure the TOS would become stricter that any small default would see a gambler have their funds frozen without a good reason.

The most important part is that the Maltese VAT is excluded for foreign players, while it's the operators that are losing their tax exemption rights. It's really going to be a huge change we would see, perhaps most operators would leave the country to another with cheap tax laws.

A casino will never do anything that will unfairly stop a person from winning money or close their account. Because these casinos are fully regulated, if the casinos do something that is fraudulent, then every person can immediately take legal action against that casino or take any other kind of action.

Winning may not become difficult, because casinos know very well that if winning is difficult, gamblers can find other means and stop using their casino, so winning may not be difficult.

[EluguHcman]

However, the second tax increase does not apply to all categories of games.
Until October 1, Malta had a flat 5% tax on profits. Now, taxes are 15% for casinos and lotteries, and 10% for betting, poker, bingo, and stock exchanges.

I don't own a gambling or betting company but I do still feel the disheartening of this new tax conditions over the affected licensed companies. That is apparently X3 of the initial amounts they usually pay.

That seems like the license issuers may have assumed or found out that the casinos are benefiting more and paying lesser taxes.
At my own end, I think the users of the casino sites may suffer it too by the casinos tightening T&Cs and with the implementation of the AI on board, the outcome of those affected casinos on the tax increment may go stricter giving the casinos more edges against players. In other words, players may loose even more because there is going to be manipulations in the RNG that will affect the games outcomes.

Unless for reputable casinos that would not want to recover their expenses of the taxes from their users while the incompetent ones may do so.
This is also one problem being faced where regulation increases the taxes of the whereas, the profits made by casinos don't worth the bill.

[Grace333]

This increase in taxes can make a lot of players lose interest in gambling because it might become overly expensive which means that the casino might reduce the rewards or bonuses and also increase the minimum deposit making it more expensive for the average gamblers. Increasing the taxes on gambling is really going to change how gambling has been in Malta for a long time, this would slow down the business of a lot of online casinos operating in Malta and might even lead to them closing their operations.

[348Judah]

Starting October 1, 2026, licensed gambling establishments in Malta will no longer pay a flat tax on gambling and will pay new taxes, which will vary depending on the product the establishment offers to consumers.

It is now that the government is waking up to discover the vast opportunity in the gambling sector, and how you have been enjoying even the little they mint from these gambling casino operators. Now they want more of it, and things are just getting more curious to them as they see that not only will the operators be enjoying the enefits of gambling, but when they put in their regulations for every casino that is identified with them, I see nothing good in this, just a decision to advance into a bigger demand from the gambling platforms than the little they get.

[o48o]

-cut-
Honestly it sounded like a hike but other countries have a higher taxes when it comes to gambling like our lottery here in our country wimh a fixed 20% tax when you win.

Article was tax for operators though, not customer wins. Also, i am fairly sure that you are supposed to pay same fixed taxes to your country, even if you win from overseas casino.

I am not saying you couldn't get away with not paying them taxes. I am just informing if you didn't know about this, so it won't come as surprise if you get caught for this.

[Fortify]

Starting October 1, 2026, licensed gambling establishments in Malta will no longer pay a flat tax on gambling and will pay new taxes, which will vary depending on the product the establishment offers to consumers.

However, the second tax increase does not apply to all categories of games.
Until October 1, Malta had a flat 5% tax on profits. Now, taxes are 15% for casinos and lotteries, and 10% for betting, poker, bingo, and stock exchanges.

This shows that regulators are restricting games of chance the most. However, there's an important nuance that's easy to miss: the tax is now calculated on player revenue, but only for those physically located in Malta. This effectively penalizes visitors to brick-and-mortar casinos.

It's actually interesting to read how all the kinds of gambling they offer contribute 6% to Malta's GDP currently, which is a fairly large chunk. They are probably walking a fine line, they've secured a bunch of operators already who set up in Malta and would probably have sizable costs if they were to consider relocating due to these tax changes, but some may leave. Of the ones that remain it'll be curious to see how much extra in tax revenue will be pumped into the economy. I couldn't quite understand how the taxes apply, whether it's 15% on global profits or only citizens of Malta pay that higher band in taxes. It'd make sense if the keep taxes low for global gambling sites because they want to keep as much of that business as possible. It's also curious that they are upping the fees for live dealers as well, from 500 euros to 3,000 euros.

[348Judah]

Honestly it sounded like a hike but other countries have a higher taxes when it comes to gambling like our lottery here in our country wimh a fixed 20% tax when you win.

It does not sound like a hike, it is, they can't be operating with the way other countries are because every nation has their own way of running their economy and the standard at which their development has attained, moreover a country that taking up to 20% income tax on gambling is too greedy and selfish without considering for what the business operators are going to benefits in which they are doing, they are the one in their place will they be able to afford paying up to that percentage?.

[danadc]

Starting October 1, 2026, licensed gambling establishments in Malta will no longer pay a flat tax on gambling and will pay new taxes, which will vary depending on the product the establishment offers to consumers.

It is now that the government is waking up to discover the vast opportunity in the gambling sector, and how you have been enjoying even the little they mint from these gambling casino operators. Now they want more of it, and things are just getting more curious to them as they see that not only will the operators be enjoying the enefits of gambling, but when they put in their regulations for every casino that is identified with them, I see nothing good in this, just a decision to advance into a bigger demand from the gambling platforms than the little they get.

It surprises me that Malta is adopting such an approach. I am well aware that the situation regarding gambling is becoming delicate in various countries—Brazil, for instance but tripling taxes on casinos strikes me as excessive; it goes well beyond what is reasonable.

In countries like Malta where the cost of living is high, expenses and taxes are steep, and the quality of life is far above average—the government may simply be seeking greater liquidity, and the most straightforward way to achieve that is by raising taxes.

[Muba20]

Starting October 1, 2026, licensed gambling establishments in Malta will no longer pay a flat tax on gambling and will pay new taxes, which will vary depending on the product the establishment offers to consumers.

However, the second tax increase does not apply to all categories of games.
Until October 1, Malta had a flat 5% tax on profits. Now, taxes are 15% for casinos and lotteries, and 10% for betting, poker, bingo, and stock exchanges.

There are some governments that consider the gambling industry as a money-making machine for them. Governments are taxing on gambling as a priority, with the sole purpose of raising money. Of course, they should remember that this tax will put additional financial pressure on the public. If it is not paid directly by the gamblers, then it will have to be paid indirectly by the gamblers themselves. If additional taxes are levied on casino platforms, they can take from the gamblers through house edge or any other ways, which will double what they have collected. Ultimately, the burden of that tax will fall on the average gambler. Governments should be more careful about taxation. If the government tries to impose more taxes, gamblers may instead go to other platforms, which can be a huge financial loss for the governments.

[Zlantann]

It’s interesting to wonder who exactly decided to introduce this law and why most likely, it’s an attempt to strike a blow against the gambling industry. I can’t think of any other explanation. Perhaps they know something we don’t, or maybe they simply intend to reduce the number of people who gamble after all, the average player is bound to feel the impact of these changes in their own pocket. With the tax rate set to triple, players will likely see fewer bonuses, as casinos simply won’t have the spare cash to offer them. For now, all we can do is wait and see; it’s possible that, in the end, only a handful of casinos few enough to count on the fingers of one hand will remain.

The Maltese government might want to increase tax revenue or make the gambling sector less attractive. Maybe they have investigated and discovered that casinos are making so much profit while paying low taxes. Casinos are likely to operate in countries that have low taxes. With the increase in tax, many of them might decide to close down their business and move to other more tax-friendly countries. If casinos in Malta reduce bonuses and other benefits, gamblers might consider using unregistered platforms.

[Charles-Tim]

The Maltese government might want to increase tax revenue or make the gambling sector less attractive. Maybe they have investigated and discovered that casinos are making so much profit while paying low taxes. Casinos are likely to operate in countries that have low taxes. With the increase in tax, many of them might decide to close down their business and move to other more tax-friendly countries. If casinos in Malta reduce bonuses and other benefits, gamblers might consider using unregistered platforms.

I think it is just like business, the government are into tax business with their citizens and the companies in their country. I guess they will give the tax that they know the gambling sites will be able to pay, but just like I mentioned that it is business, it is left to the gambling sites to decide to go for licence in another country or not. If the Maltese government want to discourage gambling, they can just ban it. We are going to see how this would later be, but I think there will still be new gambling sites that will request for licence and most of the old gambling sites are not going anywhere.

[Pandorak]

It’s interesting to wonder who exactly decided to introduce this law and why most likely, it’s an attempt to strike a blow against the gambling industry. I can’t think of any other explanation. Perhaps they know something we don’t, or maybe they simply intend to reduce the number of people who gamble after all, the average player is bound to feel the impact of these changes in their own pocket. With the tax rate set to triple, players will likely see fewer bonuses, as casinos simply won’t have the spare cash to offer them. For now, all we can do is wait and see; it’s possible that, in the end, only a handful of casinos few enough to count on the fingers of one hand will remain.

I think so too. The government certainly has strong reasons for updating the regulations by raising taxes on gambling, beyond simply generating more revenue for the state. The increase isn’t just 1% or 2%, but from 5% to 15%, that’s very significant. I have to admit that the government actions this time are quite aggressive. On the other hand, there are many things that casinos will undoubtedly have to adjust, they need to calculate and consider every aspect. In the worst case scenario, these new regulations could even force many casinos to close.

[Sandra_hakeem]

USA = New Jersey 20% while in the United Kingdom the tax is 40% on casinos and 15% for sports betting.

So they are kinda just trying to increase it based on the standards in other countries, nothing wrong with that, and it's good because it will help the country increase its revenue. and also as the regulations are gambling-friendly that increase is not a big deal.

It is high enough alright, considering the fact that, you would be introducing to a people, the sort of taxes they are not used to and it does has the ability to isolate and consider individual earnings and on games favored. That would in some way make gamblers to try other options for gaming and gambling.

Do you think anyone cares? It doesn't matter to them if they're used to it or not. If it did, they wouldn't have decided in the first place to make an increment in those taxes, let alone triple of it.

Another reason might be that they also would like to have (you made mention of how it is in the UK) a closer range of the difference in taxes and revenues. It has always been about the money and in their practices, nothing is supposed to remain stable due to inflation. Yes!! You're getting taxed more for their bs.

I'm not defending their shenanigans, but I have to be honest with you that this will eventually get worse.