Malta has tripled gambling taxes from October 1, 2026.

[Hispo]

..., but only for those physically located in Malta. This effectively penalizes visitors to brick-and-mortar casinos.

At first glance, this new scheme of taxes will end up negatively affecting the native gambling industry of Malta, and will make it less competitive when compared to off-white casinos and bookies.
They should have stayed with their flat tax of five percent for all gambling activities within the country, at least on paper, it sounded fairer for all companies, regardless there were lotteries, bookies, or traditional casinos.

It gives me the impression the government of malta is either desperate for money or trying to put its own gambling industry in a disadvantageous position for some reason...

[cryptoaddictchie]

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.

Well that depends on the profit weve made, we have a bracket for users regarding the taxes. Though Id interpreted it wrong thought it was also for users.

Im well aware of taxes cause even lottery winning here on our country will reduced 20% before you even claimed. Though Im not sure on typical casino cause I never made a win so huge that it go above the required limit on tax plus Id rather keep quiet if ever I will cause I dont want to contribute to crocodile politicians of our country using the taxes. Id prefer to donate to people instead.

[Fivestar4everMVP]

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.
https://betstarters.com/maltas-gaming-tax-overhaul-what-changes-for-operators-from-october-1-2026/
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.

I am genuinely not surprised as this is something that is happening almost in every country of the world now, governments in different countries of the world are creating new ways of taxing their citizens and businesses operating in their country, while they are also increasing existing taxes.
I do not know much about the country called Malta but i believe that with this new development, they have proven to not be an exception from several other governments, but maybe this is good after all so long as the money raised from the taxes will be used judiciously for the development of the country and creating a better living environment for the citizens, this should be the top reason for this increment, anything other than this, I may not accept if i happen to be a citizen that country.

[bakasabo]

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.

The government will hide behind "we care about people and want less gambling addictive" when they will be asked why tax went from 5% to 15%. They often do that, hiding behind good deed to have opportunity to fill pockets more stiff. If the reason to increase tax is because government found they are underpaid or casinos are getting way too much, then this is selfish and ridiculous. I think Malta wont have to wait long when effect of this increase will start expressing. Imagine what will be with Las Vegas if they triple their taxes. It will turn into ghost town.

[oll]

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.
https://betstarters.com/maltas-gaming-tax-overhaul-what-changes-for-operators-from-october-1-2026/
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.

In fact, the tax on land-based casinos remains at five percent. It's also worth noting that the government has abolished the slot machine tax. There's no penalty for tourists to Malta; they still pay five percent. In short, the regulators haven't made life worse for land-based tourism. Obviously, since the tax has tripled for large online casinos, they'll bear the heaviest taxes. Specifically, they're the ones with slots and RNG games. Apparently, they've decided to focus on the most popular games among gamblers.

[DiMarxist]

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.

This is quite fair but it still depends on the casino and the country they run their operation but some casinos might not give a good response to this but if the people in that country love to play casino games are much then this isn't going to be much of a problem for the casinos, it is not going to affect the casinos too much because they can easily afford a 15 percent tax based on the fact that they make goo profit from players. This can actually work but if they continue to increase the taxes on gambling it can stop some casinos from operating.

[uneng]

I guess the changes are consequence of demand and supply law. With the ascension of gambling businesses, regulators feel more comfortable demanding more money from them, while in previous times terms were smoother, considering there weren't so many businesses being launched and operating in the market.

Actually, gambling has become a pandemic worldwide, although not in a sustainable way... I think at some point this tendency will be reversed, so regulators want to make sure to get most money from it through taxes while it's working, because they know it won't last forever.

[Queentoshi]

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.

Most gamblers who are physical visitors to brick-and-mortar casinos will now consider alternative ways to gamble and these casinos will have lower patronage as gamblers understand and begin to experience less offers from the casino in terms of bonuses, promotions and gambling offers. Gamblers will consider casinos online or visiting casinos in other countries or even start using casinos that are not regulated.

I guess the changes are consequence of demand and supply law. With the ascension of gambling businesses, regulators feel more comfortable demanding more money from them,

Casinos will in turn shift the burden to gamblers even without gamblers knowing. Gamblers will receive less offers.

[KiaKia]

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.

This got me wowing, that's cool result from casinos, this amount is more than enough to get some developing countries running well but corruption won't let it, if such revenue flows into my country we won't even know what they use the money for.

To be fair though, some casinos will see this as a big deal, some casinos might be able to handle this tax but some of them will have some complaining to do about the amount.

It's fine because many casinos are struggling and not as successful as others even though the house edge is on their side, there are many casinos that the business still doesn't favour, they had to quit.

[Supreme Donvic]

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.

This is quite fair but it still depends on the casino and the country they run their operation but some casinos might not give a good response to this but if the people in that country love to play casino games are much then this isn't going to be much of a problem for the casinos, it is not going to affect the casinos too much because they can easily afford a 15 percent tax based on the fact that they make goo profit from players. This can actually work but if they continue to increase the taxes on gambling it can stop some casinos from operating.

Yeah, if they are making huge amount of money from players in that country they will not stop operation, but if they are making less money they will definitely stop operation, no company or no one is going to work and then not make profit, any casino you see operating in that country even with the high tax is actually making huge amount of money and paying the tax is not a big deal to them, it is only those who are not making good amount of money that are going to stop operation.
Even if they increase the tax as long as they are making good amount of money that can be used to pay the tax and still have good amount of profit the casinos will continue operation.

[Alex077]

This is quite fair but it still depends on the casino and the country they run their operation but some casinos might not give a good response to this but if the people in that country love to play casino games are much then this isn't going to be much of a problem for the casinos, it is not going to affect the casinos too much because they can easily afford a 15 percent tax based on the fact that they make goo profit from players. This can actually work but if they continue to increase the taxes on gambling it can stop some casinos from operating.

I wouldn't say that a 15% tax is such a small amount for casinos, even considering that casinos have a mathematical edge over players. After all, having a house edge doesn't mean that all the revenue turns into pure profit.
And I wouldn't rush to expect tax revenues to double just because Malta's gambling industry contributes more than a billion euros to the economy. The industry's contribution to the economy and its taxable gaming revenue are two completely different things. Plus, the new rules apply to revenue from players physically located in Malta, not to the entire international business of operators holding a Maltese license.
On the other hand, I agree that large and profitable casinos will most likely be able to adjust to the new conditions.

[Zlantann]

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.

This got me wowing, that's cool result from casinos, this amount is more than enough to get some developing countries running well but corruption won't let it, if such revenue flows into my country we won't even know what they use the money for.

To be fair though, some casinos will see this as a big deal, some casinos might be able to handle this tax but some of them will have some complaining to do about the amount.

It's fine because many casinos are struggling and not as successful as others even though the house edge is on their side, there are many casinos that the business still doesn't favour, they had to quit.

The government should also be willing to bear the consequences of increased gambling revenues. The US states with the highest returns on gambling activities also have the highest number of gambling addiction cases. Casinos might be willing to pay a high tax if the market is large. However, they also do everything possible to increase the number of gamblers so that they can make more gains after tax.

[mindrust]

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.

I don't agree. I am against any tax raise at this point. Taxation is theft. We don't need bigger governments, we need nearly zero government. If a government can't function without raising the taxes, that means that government is unsuccessful and should be replaced. The momentum should be reversed. We need less government, we need less taxes. If all we are getting is more of each, something isn't right.

[xenomorfo]

I wouldn't say that a 15% tax is such a small amount for casinos, even considering that casinos have a mathematical edge over players. After all, having a house edge doesn't mean that all the revenue turns into pure profit.
And I wouldn't rush to expect tax revenues to double just because Malta's gambling industry contributes more than a billion euros to the economy. The industry's contribution to the economy and its taxable gaming revenue are two completely different things. Plus, the new rules apply to revenue from players physically located in Malta, not to the entire international business of operators holding a Maltese license.
On the other hand, I agree that large and profitable casinos will most likely be able to adjust to the new conditions.

The government has decided to make profit but there is a risk that many companies like them will move to Gibraltar in my opinion, another place where there are many betting companies and online casinos.
I don't understand this move by the Maltese government, after all... it's a state with zero intelligence.

[jahead]

It would be interesting to know how online players, whose winnings are taxed at 0% in Malta, are then taxed in their home countries. Even more interesting is how these players might evade taxes in their country (perhaps even using crypto) because I certainly can't believe they will declare their taxes legally...  there is always a way to cash out... 

[Nwada001]

It would be interesting to know how online players, whose winnings are taxed at 0% in Malta, are then taxed in their home countries. Even more interesting is how these players might evade taxes in their country (perhaps even using crypto) because I certainly can't believe they will declare their taxes legally...  there is always a way to cash out... 

When crypto casinos were all about no KYC players using crypto casinos, it was for the purpose of invading tax aside from avoiding getting their identity exposed to online operators. Now, with the new tax law, they will falsify the hand of those who love land-based casinos to go back to online casinos and use any means necessary where their play can be off the book just to make sure they don’t get anything to give to any government for the purpose of tax.

[sunsilk]

Is there a surge of gambling visits in Malta and that's why the government is modifying their taxation and rules for every game?

Players, the casinos itself, they have no skip on this one except the online although it mainly focuses the brick and mortar casinos.

This could be the government asking more if they are aware that there could be some laundering happening in their casinos there. But this is way better than completely halting the business there.

[Dogedegen]

As always the government will try to make more money with taxes and see a decline in volume

I searched and found that in Malta there are 19k jobs created by the gambling industry and €714.4 million of economic value was generated by the industry just in the first half of 2025. Source: https://www.mga.org.mt/app/uploads/MGA-Interim-Report-2025.pdf

And now they want to make more money increasing taxes. But we know many people travel there to gamble and will choose a different country with lower taxes

Like in France and the taxes to rich people, this will backfire

Many say that yet there is no evidence to support this argument. The negative externalities from gambling are huge, so even a reduction in the visitors or in the gambling industry is usually small compared to the benefits that are gained from it decreasing in size. The thing about something like gambling is that it would be best to almost completely get rid of it, but humans are so crazy that they would never accept that. Many would go to underground dens and gamble in front of loan sharks where they could even get killed if it was banned, truly it is crazy how far people will go to do any activity instead of giving it up. So the governments have to look at trying to find a balance between allowing it, under which rules to allow it, and taxing it. It is hard to strike a balance, so it is going to be not optimal in some way or other and that is fine. Let each try to tune these options and see what happens in the end.

[Pandorak]

(...)

The government will hide behind "we care about people and want less gambling addictive" when they will be asked why tax went from 5% to 15%. They often do that, hiding behind good deed to have opportunity to fill pockets more stiff. If the reason to increase tax is because government found they are underpaid or casinos are getting way too much, then this is selfish and ridiculous. I think Malta wont have to wait long when effect of this increase will start expressing. Imagine what will be with Las Vegas if they triple their taxes. It will turn into ghost town.

What you’re saying makes sense. I’m also not entirely sure that what the government is doing right now is purely to protect the public from the effects of gambling (addiction, total financial loss, etc) perhaps the government actually wants to generate more revenue, which is why gambling taxes have been raised so high. While this new policy is certainly very detrimental to casinos, for casinos to survive they may have to make many sacrifices, such as reducing/eliminating bonuses or promotions to cut costs. In any case, to me this figure is too high, it will be quite difficult for casinos to adapt.

[Orpichukwu]

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.

There are some actions that are being taken by the government that will make you question their real intentions for doing that. They are benefiting heavily from gambling taxation. Now they increased the tax burden, which took effect on the 1st of October a few weeks back. Can we call that an attempt to increase their revenue or an avenue to push people into reducing their gambling habit or push them into gambling in offshore casinos where they won’t pay taxes?