Malta Casino Guide: Physical Casinos, iGaming Jobs & Why Malta Is the Gambling Capital of Europe

Exterior sign of Casino Malta with pink and gold lettering

Table Of Contents

Malta and gambling go together in two completely different ways depending on who you’re asking. For tourists, it’s four physical casinos in St Julian’s and Qawra where you can sit at a blackjack table for a night. For expats and job seekers, it’s something far bigger: over 330 licensed online gambling companies, 10,000+ iGaming employees, and a job market that genuinely lets you walk in with a good attitude and build a career from the ground up. This guide covers both sides of the malta casino world — the physical venues, and the industry that makes Malta the iGaming hub of Europe.

PART 1 — Physical Casinos in Malta

How Many Casinos Are in Malta?

How many casinos in malta: four licensed physical casinos currently operate on the island. Three are in St Julian’s (the nightlife hub) and one in Qawra on the north coast.
Is there a casino in malta? Yes — four:

  • Casino at Portomaso — St Julian’s, inside the Hilton complex
  • Dragonara Casino — St Julian’s, Dragonara peninsula
  • Oracle Casino — Qawra, inside the Dolmen Resort Hotel
  • Casino Malta by Olympic Casino — St Julian’s, inside the InterContinental Hotel

There is no casino in malta valletta — the Casino di Venezia that existed there closed years ago. No casino in Gozo, no casino in Mellieħa. All four malta casinos are on the east coast tourist corridor.

The 4 Malta Casinos — Full Breakdown

Dragonara Casino Malta (St Julian’s)

The oldest and most atmospheric of the four. Dragonara casino malta is housed in the Dragonara Palace, a 19th-century Maltese villa on a peninsula overlooking St George’s Bay, next to the Westin Dragonara Resort. The building is a reason to visit in itself.
Dragonara casino st julians malta — Dragonara Road, St Julian’s STJ 3391. 10 minutes on foot from Paceville, 5 minutes by Bolt.

  • Style — historic palace, mid-upscale, good mix of tourists and locals
  • Pokerdragonara casino malta poker: active cash games and regular tournaments, the most serious poker room on the island
  • Dress codedragonara casino malta dress code: smart-casual. No shorts or flip-flops, dark jeans and smart shoes acceptable
  • Hours — 10am to 6am, tables from ~5pm

Casino at Portomaso (St Julian’s)

The most upscale of the four. Portomaso casino is located inside the Portomaso complex next to the Hilton Malta — intimate, polished, marble interiors, crowd skewing older and wealthier. Casino portomaso is the go-to for table game purists who want a European-style experience.

  • Style — luxury, quieter, refined European atmosphere
  • Pokerportomaso casino poker: regular cash games, smaller tournament schedule than Dragonara
  • Dress codeportomaso casino dress code: strictest of the four. Smart trousers and collared shirt for men minimum. No shorts, flip-flops, gym wear or torn jeans
  • Hours — 10am to 6am, tables from ~5pm

Casino Malta by Olympic Casino (St Julian’s)

The most event-focused of the four, inside the InterContinental Malta. Largest floor space of the St Julian’s options, active tournament calendar. Best casino malta st julians option when a specific poker event or show is running.

  • Style — modern, event-driven, international tournament scene
  • Pokercasino malta poker: hosts major tournaments including EPT Malta stops in past years
  • Dress code — smart-casual, slightly more relaxed on regular nights
  • Hours — 10am to 6am

Oracle Casino Malta (Qawra)

The only casino malta outside St Julian’s. Oracle casino malta sits in the Dolmen Resort Hotel, Qawra. Smaller, more relaxed, slots-focused with a modest table area — mainly serves resort tourists from the Bugibba and St Paul’s Bay area.

  • Style — resort casino, casual, slots-heavy
  • Best for — resort holidaymakers, slots players, relaxed evenings away from Paceville chaos
  • Dress code — most casual of the four. Resort-wear tolerated, still no flip-flops or beach shorts
  • Hours — 10am to 4am

Games, Entry Rules & Practical Info

Casino malta roulette, blackjack, poker, baccarat, slots — all available across the four. Live table minimums typically €5-10 for roulette, €10-25 for blackjack. Slots from €0.01 per spin.
Malta casino age limit: 18 for non-Maltese tourists, 25 for Maltese residents. Always carry a valid passport or photo ID. Brief registration on first visit (2-3 minutes). Free entry for tourists in most cases.
Casino malta dress code: smart-casual minimum everywhere. Portomaso strictest (collared shirt + trousers for men). Oracle most relaxed. No flip-flops or beach shorts in any venue.
Malta hotel casino: all four are inside or adjacent to major hotels — Portomaso → Hilton, Dragonara → Westin Dragonara, Casino Malta → InterContinental, Oracle → Dolmen Resort. Staying at any of these gives instant casino access.

Which Is the Best Casino in Malta?

Best casino in malta depends on what you’re after:

  • Best atmosphere — Dragonara (historic palace, sea views, most iconic setting)
  • Most upscale — Portomaso (marble interiors, refined clientele)
  • Best for poker tournaments — Casino Malta by Olympic Casino
  • Biggest casino in malta by floor space — Casino Malta
  • Most casual / best for first-timers — Oracle Casino Qawra

→ For the nightlife picture around the casinos, our Paceville guide covers everything within walking distance. The Malta events calendar shows tournament schedules and special casino evenings.

Poker in Malta — Tournaments, Cash Games & Key Events

Malta has built a genuine reputation as one of Europe’s best poker malta destinations. The combination of a warm climate, direct flights from across Europe, and world-class poker rooms has made the island a magnet for both serious players and recreational tourists who want to squeeze a poker session into their holiday.
The main poker venues:
Portomaso Casino — the home of malta poker at the highest level. The Portomaso poker room has hosted the European Poker Tour (EPT) Malta and is the permanent home of the Malta Poker Festival. Cash games run daily from 7pm, with a rake capped at 4%. The only poker room in Malta with guaranteed daily cash action.
Dragonara Casino — the most active tournament schedule of the four casinos. Daily tournaments, regular cash games, and the best poker atmosphere for recreational players. Scenic location overlooking St George’s Bay.
Casino Malta by Olympic Casino — hosts major one-off events and EPT Malta stops.
Key events in the Malta poker calendar:
Malta Poker Festival (Portomaso Casino) — the malta poker festival is one of the most important live events on the European calendar. Runs multiple times per year (spring and autumn) at Portomaso. The malta poker festival 2026 schedule is available on the Portomaso Casino website. Accessible buy-ins, large prize pools, international field.
Battle of Malta (Portomaso Casino) — the battle of malta poker is legendary among recreational players: low buy-ins, enormous prize pools relative to entry cost, festive atmosphere. Typically runs October-November. One of the best value poker tournament experiences in Europe.
European Poker Tour Malta — Malta has been an EPT stop multiple times, bringing the biggest international names and seven-figure prize pools to Portomaso.
Even outside major events, Malta is a solid destination for casino malta poker as a recreational activity — the rooms are well-run, the levels are international, and you can combine an afternoon session with a beach day and Paceville at night.

PART 2 — iGaming in Malta: The Biggest Opportunity Most Visitors Don’t Know About

Why Malta Is the iGaming Capital of the World

The four physical casinos above are the tourist-facing side of Malta’s gambling world. The real story is invisible to most visitors — and it’s enormous.
Malta is home to over 330 licensed online gaming companies. The industry employs more than 10,000 people full-time in iGaming alone, accounting for over 10% of Malta’s GDP. Every major name in online gambling has offices here: Betclic, Betsson, PokerStars, Kindred, Flutter, LeoVegas, Unibet, Tipico, Evolution Gaming, NetEnt and hundreds more.
Why Malta? Three reasons that compound each other:

  • The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) — one of the world’s most respected gambling regulators, issuing licenses that allow companies to legally operate across Europe. An MGA license is the quality signal the industry trusts
  • Tax rates — corporate tax on gaming revenue at 5% (vs 20-35% in most European countries). For businesses processing hundreds of millions in bets, this difference is transformational
  • The English language — Malta is officially bilingual, making it easy for international companies and expat staff to operate from day one

The result: the stretch of offices between Sliema, Gzira and Ta’ Xbiex has the highest concentration of iGaming professionals in the world. The person next to you at dinner in Paceville, your Bolt driver, half the crowd at the beach on Saturday — a significant proportion works in online gambling. It’s the backbone of modern Malta’s economy, and most tourists never notice.

iGaming Jobs Malta — What’s Actually Available

Casino malta jobs in iGaming cover a huge range, but the entry point everyone should know about is customer support.
Customer Support / Customer Service Agent
The most accessible role in the industry. You handle player queries by live chat, email and sometimes phone — account questions, payment issues, bonus queries, responsible gambling checks. What you need:

  • Your native language — French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, and especially Nordic languages are all in high demand
  • Basic English for internal communication
  • Good written communication
  • Patience and a people-first attitude

No degree required. No prior iGaming experience required. Betclic, for example, employs hundreds of French speakers in Malta in this exact role. The turnover in customer support is higher than other departments, which means positions open up regularly and the door is genuinely accessible.
Shifts run across broad hours — typically 7am to 1am, rotating schedules including evenings and weekends. The upside: shift premiums, overtime pay, and a foot inside an industry that promotes from within faster than almost any other.
Other Entry-Level Roles
Beyond support, other accessible entry points include:

  • Live Dealer (Evolution Gaming and similar) — presenting casino games on camera in a studio environment. Shift work, professional appearance required, training provided. No prior gambling experience needed
  • KYC / Compliance Analyst — verifying player identity documents. Attention to detail, language skills. Entry-level compliance can progress quickly into a well-paid specialism
  • Content Writer / Translator — producing game descriptions, promotional content, terms and conditions in your native language

iGaming Salaries Malta 2026

Role Annual gross (€) Notes
Customer Support Agent (entry) €18,000 – €24,000 No experience, standard language
Senior Support Agent €22,000 – €30,000 1-2 years + performance bonus
VIP Manager €28,000 – €45,000 High-value player relationships
Team Leader / Supervisor €30,000 – €42,000 Management track
CRM / Marketing Manager €35,000 – €60,000 Performance bonus 10-25% base
Head of Customer Service €50,000 – €75,000 3-5 years progression
Language premium +€2,000 – €5,000 Nordic, Japanese, Korean most valued

These numbers look modest on paper compared to Paris or London. But Malta’s income tax tops out at 25% for most expat salary bands — vs 40-45% in France or UK. The government has also created a special 15% income tax cap for qualifying iGaming professionals earning €75,000+. Combined with lower cost of living, the net purchasing power is higher than the gross figures suggest.

The Career Path — From Support to VIP in 2-3 Years

What makes iGaming Malta genuinely different from a standard customer service job: the industry is young, grows fast, and promotes from within heavily because experienced people are always in short supply.
A realistic fast-track for a motivated hire:

  • Month 1-6 — Customer support agent: learning the platform, handling standard queries, building product knowledge
  • Year 1-2 — Senior agent or specialist: fraud detection, responsible gambling, complex account handling, or lateral move into CRM/retention
  • Year 2-3 — VIP Manager or Team Leader: managing high-value player relationships or supervising a support team
  • Year 3+ — Head of Customer Service, Country Manager, CRM Manager, Affiliate Manager: strategic roles at €40,000-75,000+

The VIP Manager path deserves special mention. You manage the casino’s highest-value players personally — knowing their preferences, managing bonuses, handling complaints at the premium level, occasionally flying to meet them at events. It’s a sales and relationship management role inside a gambling company, and the best VIP managers are genuinely hard to find and very well compensated.

Benefits That Come With iGaming Jobs in Malta

Casino malta vacancies at major operators typically include:

  • Relocation package — flights and first-month accommodation covered for international hires at most large operators
  • Private health insurance — often covering dependants, sometimes dental
  • Performance bonuses — 10-25% of base salary quarterly or annually in revenue-linked roles
  • Shift premiums — evening and weekend allowances on top of base
  • Gym memberships, company events, sports teams — the culture is young and social
  • Professional development budget — training, conferences, certifications paid by the company
  • Fast review cycles — promotions reviewed every 6-12 months, not every 3-5 years

The office culture is consistently described as informal, international and social. Average age in most iGaming companies is 28-33. The majority of staff are expats — you’re working with colleagues from 20+ nationalities from day one.

Which Companies to Target First

The biggest operators with consistent hiring — including French-speaking support roles:

  • Betclic — French company, major Malta presence in Sliema. The best-known entry point for French expats. Employs hundreds of French speakers in customer support
  • Betsson — Swedish operator, one of the largest in Malta. Multiple brands, constant hiring year-round
  • Kindred / Unibet — major European operator, multiple languages, strong Malta headcount
  • LeoVegas — acquired by MGM, growing Malta team
  • Evolution Gaming — dominant live casino supplier. Hires live dealers and studio staff in large volumes — different profile (TV studio shifts) but highly accessible entry point
  • Tipico — German sports betting company, strong employer in Malta

How to Apply

  • Direct company careers pages — Betclic, Betsson, Kindred all post openly. Check weekly
  • Specialist job boards — iGameers.com, Konnekt.com, BettingConnections.com — Malta-specific boards aggregating gaming roles
  • Facebook groups — “iGaming Jobs in Malta” and “iGaming Malta” — active communities where recruiters post directly
  • Recruitment agencies — Konnekt, BettingConnections, KeepMePosted — specialist Malta iGaming recruiters who can prep your CV and match you to live roles
  • The SiGMA conference (November, Malta) — the largest iGaming conference in the world happens in Malta every year. Even attending as a visitor is a networking goldmine for job seekers

Hiring is busiest September to November (post-SiGMA) and January to March (new budget year). Time your applications accordingly.
→ For the full Malta expat setup guide — where to live, cost of living, what to expect on arrival — see our Malta holidays and living guide.

FAQ — Malta Casino

How many casinos are in Malta?

Four licensed physical casinos: Dragonara Casino, Casino at Portomaso, Casino Malta by Olympic Casino, and Oracle Casino. Three in St Julian’s, one in Qawra.

Is there a casino in Valletta?

No. The Casino di Venezia in Valletta closed years ago. There is no active casino in malta valletta.

What is the minimum age for Malta casinos?

18 for non-Maltese tourists, 25 for Maltese residents. Always carry a valid passport or photo ID.

What is the best casino in Malta?

Dragonara for atmosphere and poker. Portomaso for upscale European feel. Casino Malta for tournaments. Oracle for casual resort gambling.

Can I get a casino job in Malta without experience?

Yes — customer support is the standard entry point and requires no prior iGaming experience. You need your native language, basic English and good communication skills. Companies like Betclic employ hundreds of French speakers in Malta in this exact role.

What are iGaming jobs like in Malta?

Casino malta jobs in iGaming are shift-based, typically well above Malta’s average salary (€18,000-24,000 entry to €50,000+ with progression), with relocation packages, private health insurance, performance bonuses, and fast promotion timelines. The culture is young, international and social.

How much do you earn in iGaming customer support in Malta?

Entry-level: €18,000-24,000 gross per year. Senior agent: €22,000-30,000. VIP Manager: €28,000-45,000+. Native speakers of high-demand languages earn significantly more.

Which iGaming companies are based in Malta?

Over 330 licensed operators. The biggest include Betclic, Betsson, Kindred/Unibet, LeoVegas, Evolution Gaming, PokerStars/Flutter, and Tipico. Most are headquartered in Sliema, Gzira, Ta’ Xbiex and St Julian’s.
→ Planning a full Malta night out — casino + Paceville + boat party? Browse the Malta events calendar and our Paceville guide.

LIVE ⚡️
Eva Malta
Your local Guide in Malta
Stop planning alone,
Unlock Malta with me.

I'm not a travel agency, I'm your direct link to the best clubs and VIP tables. 3 years of making Malta move. 🔥

UPCOMING PARTIES • POOL PARTIES • BOAT PARTIES • VIP TABLES • UPCOMING PARTIES • POOL PARTIES • BOAT PARTIES • VIP TABLES • UPCOMING PARTIES • POOL PARTIES • BOAT PARTIES • VIP TABLES • UPCOMING PARTIES • POOL PARTIES • BOAT PARTIES • VIP TABLES •
Starlight Twenty Two Malta: exclusive Saturday rooftop night with panoramic views and international commercial hits.
Starlight – Twenty Two Malta
15
BUY TICKETS
A smiling woman in a sequined red dress holding a cocktail, with large 'LADIES NIGHTS Every Friday' neon text and a view of Portomaso Tower at Twenty Two Malta.
Ladies Night – Twenty Two Malta
15
BUY TICKETS
International crowd of partygoers all dressed in white partying around the seafront pool at Toy Room Beach Club Malta on a Wednesday.
White Pool Party – Toy Room Beach Club Malta
15
BUY TICKETS
Night view of the illuminated open-air rooftop pool party at Gianpula Village in Malta with Mdina visible in the background.
Tuesday Pool Party – Gianpula Rooftop Malta
25
BUY TICKETS
International group of friends with wristbands posing with a guide in Paceville, St Julian's, for the Malta Pub Crawl.
Malta Pub Crawl – Paceville
15
BUY TICKETS
Friday Day Pool Party at Toy Room Beach Club in Malta with the bear mascot Frank.
Pool Party Friday – Toy Room Beach Club Malta
15
BUY TICKETS