Stock Prices Of Malta’s Gaming Companies Have Fallen Hard Over The Past Year
iGaming companies are starting to feel the heat after certain industry changes are forcing them to restrategise and make serious cutbacks.
Since it first gained a foothold in Malta, the iGaming industry has moved from strength to strength and was long considered a dominant force in the Maltese economy. However, due to the combination of draconic regulatory changes, and unsustainable rapid growth, the industry has taken a few hits over the past year that have led to some concerns about its future.
Some of these hits include the banning of all gambling advertising in Italy and the re-regulation of Gambling laws in Sweden, which resulted in some Malta-based iGaming companies losing their licenses as a result.
Global Gaming is among the companies that have been impacted by recent trends and has been forced to sack half its staff in a bid to reduce costs. Gaming Innovation Group (GIG) were also hit by Sweden’s new regulations with revenues dropping by 16% in the second quarter of this year.
In fact, iGaming companies seem to be struggling in general, with the majority seeing their stock prices drop significantly over the past year…
Betsson
16 August 2018 – 75.97 SEK
16 August 2019 – 46.30 SEK
Catena Media
16 August 2018 – 109.10 SEK
16 August 2019 – 49.36 SEK
Gaming Innovation Group (GIG)
26 March 2019 – 22.00 SEK
15 August 2019 – 10.32 SEK
Kindred Group
16 August 2018 – 107.95 SEK
16 August 2019 – 48.66 SEK
LeoVegas
16 August 2018 – 64.00 SEK
16 August 2019 – 32.20 SEK
NetEnt
16 August 2018 – 35.84 SEK
16 August 2019 – 23.25 SEK
PaddyPower Betfair
16 August 2018 – 6, 920.00 GBX
15 August 2019 – 6, 396.00 GBX
It seems like the growth of the iGaming industry has also attracted some unwanted attention from regulatory agencies resulting in new, unprecedented legislation that has made it very difficult for the industry to flourish as it did it for many years before.
With most iGaming companies in the red, it begs the question whether their future in Malta is as secure as it was made out to be a few years ago.