Things Everyone Working In iGaming In Malta Should Know
In case you’ve been living under a rock, iGaming is a huge industry in Malta, one that’s set to keep growing – just take a look at any job search website for proof.
So what can you expect when working in this industry? Here are a few things you should know about working in a Maltese iGaming company, particularly if you’re not from around here.
1. The weather is all its cracked up to be
No, it’s not an island-wide Instagram filter – our seas are that blue and our skies are that devoid of clouds. It’s sunny about 300 days each year and we have plenty of places to enjoy the good weather.
Most igaming offices are based in a five mile radius, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea – from Ta’ Xbiex to St Julian’s – so you can truly enjoy your day from your office window!
2. You will meet people from all over
While the majority of companies are either owned and run by professionals of Scandinavian extraction or cater to that market, the porous nature of our borders (thank you, EU) means that you might find yourself working alongside a Greek SEO expert, a Polish graphic designer and a Romanian front-end developer. Which means…
3. You will learn a lot of new things
Ever tried a traditional Portuguese dessert? Heard tell of the legendary drinking capabilities of the Norwegians? Always wanted to learn the Swedish word for penguin but never got the chance? You’re in for a treat. Working alongside people of different nationalities means you’ll get a chance to learn stuff you might not otherwise find out unless you visit all these different places.
4. You may be in hot demand
Demand for developers is insane and if you are one of those rare breeds, prepare to get spammed by all gaming companies on Linkedin and Facebook basically all the time.
5. It may be a tight squeeze
Most iGaming companies are growing fast, really fast. Finding the right office size is daunting. So unless you’re the CEO, be prepared to work in a room jam packed with office desks!
6. It’s not all work and no play
IGaming companies pride themselves on offering their employees an excellent quality of life, not just within the working environment but also outside. Most appreciate that newly relocated employees may find it daunting to have to rebuild their social circles from scratch, so they organize events, activities and chances to get out there and make friends, outside the confines of the office. And yes the rumours are true – We do party like it’s 1999.
7. You will learn some Maltese
After a month, it’s guaranteed you’ll be throwing around melas and bongus like a pro. In a year, you can probably understand what the bigilla guy is broadcasting over the speakers. Ask your Maltese colleagues if you need something you’ve heard or read translated – we love sharing our language and if you ask nicely, we’ll teach you some of the more versatile swearsies.
8. If you’re Maltese, you may be in the minority
And it can take some getting used to. You will become the reference point for questions about which buses go where, good places to eat or what that construction worker meant, exactly, when he said ‘aw Lilly’. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.
9. It’s always Casual Fridays
Ditch the suit and tie – iGaming companies are famously tolerant towards relaxed attire. The focus here is obviously on what you can do, not what you look like, particularly if your job entails working at a desk all day. You won’t be asked to cover up your tattoos and as long as you aren’t wearing anything distracting or inappropriate, it’s all good in the hood.
10. You’ll experience a number of WTF moments
If you hail from one of those insanely well organized European countries (i.e. pretty much everywhere north of Rome), you’re in for some odd, yet endearing, surprises.
Just remember – if people shout at each other it’s not necessarily because they’re angry. If you ask for directions you will get five iterations of how to reach your destination. And if you are invited into a Maltese household be ready to be force-fed to the point of engorgement. Embrace these quirky idiosyncrasies. Crack open a cold one and remember that things get done a little differently in paradise.
11. Then there is that one week…
Nothing quite shouts igaming like the Malta Gaming Week. Malta’s perfect November weather paves the way for a week jam-packed with careers conventions, networking poker tourneys, the infamous SiGMA expo, dinners, drinks, and a closing party. Brace yourself – you’ll be part of 3,000 delegates meet in a buzzing environment to do business (and also play games).
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