Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela opens SiGMA Euro-Med 2025 with visit to MMH Expo

The opening day of SiGMA Euro-Med 2025 saw Malta’s Prime Minister, Robert Abela, tour the Mediterranean Maritime Hub (MMH), where he visited exhibitor booths and met with company representatives from across the global gaming and technology sectors.

Accompanied by Minister for Economy, Investment and Small Businesses Silvio Schembri and SiGMA Group Founder Eman Pulis, the Prime Minister welcomed a number of international firms participating in this year’s expo.

Among the companies represented were BetConstruct, Amusnet, 1xBet, NuxGame, SoftGamings, Alea, Exa Gaming, and service providers such as GBO International Financial Services and EGT Digital. The delegation also met with GamingMalta, recognized as a central driver of Malta’s position as a global hub for gaming innovation and regulation.

The visit included a stop at the booth of the Ministry for Gozo, which together with InvestGozo, plays a central role in the SiGMA Affiliate Retreat. Scheduled to run from September 28 to 30 in Gozo, the retreat is followed by a VIP day on October 1 featuring a tour of the Innovation Hub.

Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government Alison Civelli

These gatherings aim to strengthen Gozo’s profile as a strategic destination for sustainable investment and technology-driven growth. Earlier in the day, SiGMA Euro-Med 2025 was formally inaugurated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by GamingMalta CEO Ivan Filletti and SiGMA Group Founder Eman Pulis.

The opening ceremony and subsequent tour were attended by several Maltese cabinet members, including the Minister for the Environment, Energy and Public Cleanliness, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights, and the Minister for European Funds and the Implementation of the Electoral Programme.

Principal Parliamentary Secretary Tony Sultana, Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government Alison Civelli, and Parliamentary Secretary for Public Works Omar Farrugia were also present.

Djoeke Adimi of Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Malta

Senior officials from government ministries and agencies joined the event, including Permanent Secretaries Joseph Caruana and Ronald Mizzi, as well as representatives of the Vision 2050 team. Attendees also included Luke Dalli and Gilmore Mercieca of the Arts Council Malta, Ronald Sultana from the Ministry for Gozo, and officials from the Malta Digital Innovation Authority.

Institutional leaders such as Karl Cilia, CEO of the Water Services Corporation, Colonel Edric Zahra, CEO of Identity Malta, and Director Hannah Guarracino were in attendance, along with Joyce Cassar. Representatives from several embassies also took part, including the Embassies of Kuwait, Qatar, Tunisia, Palestine, Egypt, Libya, and the Arab League, as well as the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Malta.

The SiGMA Euro-Med expo runs throughout the week at MMH, combining a two-day conference with a range of side events. Highlights include iGathering dinners at local venues, an end-of-summit celebration at the Toy Room Beach Club headlined by Be Svendson, and a week-long poker tournament hosted at Portomaso Casino from September 2 to 7.

SiGMA Euro-Med will return to Malta next year, taking place from March 1 to 3, 2026.