By Kayne Said
Ten years is a significant period in any organisation’s journey − and for the Responsible Gaming Foundation (RGF), the 2024 Annual Report signifies a decade of growth, reflection and renewed purpose.
Established in 2014, the RGF was created out of a need to balance the rapid expansion of Malta’s gaming sector with a clear social mission: to protect individuals, empower players and foster a culture where gambling remains a form of entertainment, not a source of harm.
The 2024 report clearly shows that responsible gaming is now a key part of Malta’s gaming sector. It’s essential for its long-term future. Through education, awareness and teamwork, the RGF continues to show that prevention and support can work together, creating a model that focuses on well-being without hindering growth.
Balancing continuity with change
This past year, the foundation balanced its core values with necessary innovation. The gaming world has changed significantly since 2014, with online platforms, virtual gaming and digital entertainment transforming how people play − and sometimes, how they struggle.
The RGF’s leadership, under general manager Kevin O’Neill, recognised this change and responded by increasing outreach, strengthening support systems and expanding the foundation’s digital presence to engage younger audiences.
Campaigns connected to major public events like EURO 2024, European Safer Gambling Week and the launch of the Maltese-language BetBlocker app demonstrated that responsible gambling messages can effectively resonate when presented creatively.
The RGF’s collaboration with the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) ensured that tools such as deposit limits and self-exclusion remain accessible, while new initiatives began exploring closer alignment with regulatory frameworks. It’s a vision that regards responsible gaming not as an afterthought but as a core part of the gaming industry’s ethical foundation.
Education as prevention
One of the foundation’s greatest achievements remains its commitment to education.
Throughout 2024, the RGF’s partnership with Sedqa and the Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS) reached thousands of students through the ‘Teen Outside the Box’ programme. More than 4,300 students in secondary schools and over 2,000 young adults in higher education participated in interactive sessions on healthy gaming habits and the dangers of excessive gaming.
The message is simple but powerful: early awareness saves futures. By addressing issues such as screen addiction and virtual gaming dependency at a formative age, the foundation helps young people develop critical thinking skills and emotional balance − qualities that go beyond gaming itself.
The focus on community youth groups also highlights that prevention cannot stay confined to classrooms; it must become part of everyday culture.
Support that makes a difference
Behind every awareness campaign is a support network that transforms lives.
The RGF’s Supportline 1777 continues to act as a lifeline for gamblers and gamers in distress, as well as for their families. Supported by a confidential chatline and collaboration with professional FSWS social workers, the service has become one of Malta’s most trusted resources for those seeking help in relation to excessive gambling.
The foundation’s self-exclusion programme also enables individuals to effectively take control of their habits by allowing them to exclude themselves from casinos and gaming establishments licensed by the MGA. These tools − straightforward in concept but impactful in effect − serve as a reminder that recovery is not about shame, but about support, accountability and second chances.
Corporate responsibility in action
The RGF’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme remains a crucial part of its work, encouraging healthy alternatives to excessive gaming. In 2024 alone, the foundation allocated over €25,000 in funding to community projects across sports, culture and education.
From football nurseries to music societies, the aim was clear: to provide people − especially the young − with opportunities for engagement that foster well-being, teamwork and social connection.
It’s a subtle yet effective way of preventing addiction − by encouraging individuals to find balance through creativity and activity instead of digital escapism.
The report also recognises the generous support of private operators, such as Gammix Ltd, whose donations exceeded €80,000. Such partnerships exemplify an encouraging shift in the industry: gaming companies acknowledging that sustainability depends on shared responsibility.
Looking ahead with purpose
The RGF’s 2024 Annual Report does not shy away from challenges. Financial pressures, changing player behaviours and the rapid pace of technological change are all realities the foundation must face. However, its 2025 plans were bold and forward-looking: expanding educational campaigns, introducing a certification programme for responsible gambling practices, restructuring its call centre and investing in research on emerging gambling trends, especially in digital and mobile areas.
The foundation’s message for the next decade is rooted in humility and hope. It recognises that the battle against problem gambling is complex and ongoing, but it also emphasises that progress can be made − one conversation, one policy, one life at a time.
In the words of the foundation’s general manager, “Responsibility in gambling begins and ends with the player”. Which in essence means that responsibility is a full circle, starting with the player and involves all stakeholders, regulators and operators, as it reaches the player once again in the form of robust protection.
Yet, as the RGF’s decade of experience shows, collective responsibility − from regulators, operators, educators, and society itself − is what truly sustains progress.
The 2024 report isn’t just a document of statistics and activities; it serves as a reminder that compassion, dialogue and data-driven action can coexist.
As Malta continues to lead in the gaming sector, the RGF’s work remains a moral compass, ensuring that entertainment never overshadows empathy − and that every game played is, above all, a safe one.
To download the 2024 Annual Report, visit www.rgf.org.mt.
Kayne Said is communications manager at the Responsible Gaming Foundation. E-mail: [email protected].
