Gibraltar-based gambling company Bet365 has played down claims that it is relocating to Malta, although it plans a major expansion here.
The company, which holds a Class 2 sports betting licence issued by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and has marketing operations based in Malta, confirmed it was scaling up its presence here.
Bet365 insisted though that it remained committed to Gibraltar and would maintain its presence there. It said that reports in Maltese media were “speculation”, and said the numbers quoted of workers relocating to Malta were “wholly inaccurate”.
“Due to regulatory developments in various jurisdictions and the evolving global regulatory environment for online betting and gaming, we have decided to increase our existing presence in Malta, which provides a mature and robust regulatory environment for the industry,” a spokesman for Bet365 said.
“We are taking additional property space and looking to recruit additional personnel in Malta to support our online operations and will also be expanding our infrastructure capabilities there.”
“Notwithstanding these plans for Malta, we can confirm that we will be retaining our strong presence in, and commitment to, Gibraltar where our main operational hub is based and will continue to maintain our existing dual regulatory and licensing strategy and presence.”