In this latest interview with Mr Ivan Filletti, Chief Executive Officer of Gaming Malta, InvestGozo explores the potential of Gozo as a location for gaming and digital industry operations. Mr Filletti directly explains that, despite its size, Gozo can play a focused role in the gaming field, provided that clarity and consistent institutional support are in place to help investors have the confidence to set up and operate smoothly on the island. He notes that Gozo already has key strengths and believes that certain improvements, such as world-class digital infrastructure, modern workspaces, and stress-free transport links, along with incentives to retain talented people on the island, could open the door to other areas of digital innovation.
Mr Filletti, you have been involved in efforts to position Malta as a global leader in digital and remote gaming for several years. How can these experiences and strategies be applied to an island like Gozo?
Malta’s progress in the sector came from offering a reliable setting where companies felt their investment was safe and their ideas could take shape. This is the scenario that helped turn Malta into the home of gaming excellence – a sense of a trustworthy environment that made global organisations trust that they could ‘Make it in Malta’. This trust grew stronger over time thanks to steady institutional support and constant dialogue with the people who are actually investing in the industry and helping build it.
Gozo can draw from the same experience generated by campaigns like Make it in Malta, without trying to copy Malta’s scale. What matters is whether the island can offer clear procedures, practical support, and a rhythm of collaboration that makes stakeholders feel they can settle in and grow.
With this groundwork in place, Gozo will undoubtedly play a substantial role in the wider digital entertainment world. The opportunity lies in aligning its long-term plans with Vision 2050, our national strategic framework, while carving out specific areas where smaller, focused teams and dedicated infrastructure make sense and lead to targeted growth.
From your perspective, can Gozo realistically become a ‘home base’ for gaming companies, or is it more suited as a complementary location to Malta’s main hubs?
Both scenarios make sense, and different companies will look at Gozo in different ways. Some might treat the island as their main base simply because they want a quieter place where teams can get work done without the background noise of a larger hub, provided the digital backbone remains strong. Others may only want part of their operation there — the kind of teams that benefit from being slightly apart, whether that’s development, creative work, or technical support. Gozo doesn’t need to imitate Malta’s setup; it needs to make the most of what it already offers. With focused investment, the island can have a solid role in the national picture while keeping its own character. What will matter is how Gozo defines the functions it wants to host and how firmly that direction is maintained. Companies are more confident about investing when a location is clear about what it’s focusing on, and when it shows, through action, that the support will be consistent.
What are the key advantages and challenges for gaming companies considering Gozo as part of their operations?
Gozo’s strengths include a calmer environment that supports creativity and general well-being, together with competitive operating costs and solid fibre connectivity. These are things that matter to companies in digital entertainment, and the island offers a lifestyle many employees genuinely enjoy over the long term.
The challenges are mostly tied to scale: a smaller talent pool and transport links that need a bit more planning, especially for teams that move around often. With the right institutional support, these issues can be worked through in a way that still makes Gozo appealing for different operational setups. What companies want to see is a stable, clearly signalled path for growth — something that shows their investment won’t be derailed by sudden shifts. And if Gozo chooses a few areas to focus on, such as development work, testing, or creative production, it can draw in the operations that are very well-suited to its environment.
In your view, what more should be done in Gozo to attract and retain gaming and tech talent? Are there specific incentives, infrastructure, or skills development initiatives that could make a difference?
Talent tends to settle where there’s room to grow, where the connections work smoothly, and where day-to-day life actually feels sustainable. Gozo already scores well on the lifestyle side, but now it needs to take that extra strategic step to keep the talent there for the long run.
A lot is already being done. More steady investment in the basics — such as a world-class digital infrastructure, contemporary workspaces, and stress-free transport links — would sweeten the deal further.
Incentives are equally important, especially if they go beyond the short-term. Measures that signal an eagerness to attract companies and employees to the island to build something lasting will undoubtedly go a long way, particularly in fields that tie into the direction outlined in Vision 2050, such as sustainability and a digital-first infrastructure.
Continuing to hone the skills pipeline is likewise imperative. Training must match the needs of the industry in areas such as game design, immersive tech, digital compliance, and data skills. When all these pieces line up, Gozo will go beyond being a great place to live and make the leap to being a place where people can see a proper career taking shape.
Beyond gaming, how can Gozo leverage digital innovation to support other sectors of the economy? Do you see any trends in the gaming and digital technology sectors that you think Gozo should prepare for to remain competitive?
Digital innovation can open doors for Gozo in all sorts of places — tourism, heritage work, sustainability projects, education… These areas are already feeling the wider shift where gaming overlaps with media and immersive tech, something that also sits clearly within the direction of Vision 2050. And many of the skills that originally belonged firmly within the gaming eco-system — UX thinking, an understanding of data and how it should be handled — now have value well outside the sector. We have already seen Malta expand its credentials as the home of gaming to embrace immersive tech, digital gaming and esports, and there’s no reason why Gozo shouldn’t also benefit from this strategy.
Looking at what’s coming down the line is always crucial: more immersive tools, more AI shaping how work gets done, and a growing push for trustworthy digital systems running on sustainable infrastructure. If the island starts planning for these changes now, backing that up with steady institutional support, it can shape its own space within Malta’s digital future rather than simply following developments elsewhere.
InvestGozo thanks Mr Filletti for sharing his expertise on Gozo’s opportunities in gaming and its wider role in digital innovation. You may visit the Gaming Malta website for more information.