Gambling in Malta

Introduction

Located south of Sicily, Malta is a compact island nation covering just 122 square miles, making it roughly 80% bigger than Washington, D.C., and around 8% the size of Rhode Island. Known as a prime location for online gambling, I chose to visit in February 2014. However, it also accommodates a few brick-and-mortar casinos, which is what this discussion centers around.

Casinos

Contrary to what some online sources suggest, I have identified only three physical casinos in Malta. The discrepancy occurs because the term 'casino' has historically referred to any substantial space used for social gatherings or entertainment. The concept of a casino dedicated solely to gambling is relatively new. For instance, the 'casino' on Catalina Island was never intended for gambling purposes. Online searches may yield names of these social gathering spots alongside actual casinos in Malta and beyond.

The two casinos I know of are the Dragonara and the Portomaso I recently discovered another casino that I was unaware of until I returned home, which is reportedly owned by the same organization as Portomaso, as indicated on their website. Oracle Casino You might be curious about the Casinò di Venezia. When I visited, it was closed; all the lights were out, and the door was securely locked without any signage explaining the situation. A dealer at another casino mentioned that the government had shut it down due to its connections with organized crime, a claim I cannot substantiate—merely relaying what I heard.

In Malta, the legal gambling age is 18, except for local residents, who must be 25 to gamble. I have seen places like the Bahamas where locals are entirely banned from casinos, but encountering two different ages for gambling is quite unusual.

The casinos I visited are relatively small when compared to those in the US. Inside, there wouldn't be anything to signal that you are in Malta at all. With no windows or décor reflecting southern European culture, the ambiance could be mistaken for any other casino worldwide. Like many tourist hotspots, the gaming regulations and odds are fairly standard. Betting limits are kept low to be accommodating—most table games require a minimum bet of 5€ or 10€ and cap around 500€. During my mid-week February visit, the casinos were not very crowded, operating at about 10% of their full capacity.

After four trips to Europe, I've noted a trend in dress code: the further south you travel, the more relaxed attire becomes. This seems to stem not only from the warmer climate but also from a generally more casual attitude prevalent in southern regions.

That said, the dress code at Malta's casinos is quite laid-back. While wearing shorts, a tank top, and flip-flops may be pushing it, jeans paired with a nice shirt would be more than acceptable. The dress standards remind me a lot of those you'd encounter in Las Vegas.

The alcohol policy aligns with typical European norms: non-alcoholic beverages are complimentary, but alcoholic drinks will come at standard bar rates.

Smoking is prohibited inside the casinos (which feels like a positive step!), although both establishments had designated slot areas for smokers. They managed to contain the smoke well, as it wasn't perceptible in the main gaming floor.

Here’s a closer look at the two casinos I ended up visiting.

This venue holds the title of the largest casino in Malta, located within the Westin Resort in the bustling Paceville area. It features 18 table games, surrounded by numerous slot machines, along with a dedicated poker room. True to Westin’s reputation, the casino feels upscale, yet maintains a welcoming and casual atmosphere.

Dragonara

Among their table games, you’ll find roulette, blackjack, Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em, and Three Card Poker. If memory serves, the minimum bets for blackjack were either 5€ or 10€, depending on the table. In Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em, the ante and blind minimums were set at 5€.

The poker room had two tables available, though only one was in play and it hosted a no-limit Texas Hold 'Em game. A friend of mine participated and remarked that the competition was pretty easy, with many players coming off as overly aggressive Italian players.

My sole criticism was the strong scent of cleaning agents. I recommend staying hydrated with water or something palatable while there to mitigate the lingering taste of the air.

The Portomaso casino is also situated in Paceville, but it felt less upscale compared to the Dragonara and appeared to have very few patrons during my visit.

Portomaso

From what I could tell, this casino featured 12 different table games, detailed below:

Their website mentioned Three Card Poker as well, although I did not observe it on the floor.

• 6 roulette
• 4 blackjack
• 1 Punto Banco (baccarat)
• 1 Ultimate Texas 'Em

My friends and I requested that a supervisor open a blackjack table, but the dealer he brought over seemed quite unhappy about being called in. His demeanor was notably unfriendly.

At one point, he dealt himself a blackjack, but then mistakenly hit it with an additional card, a 2. Once he realized his mistake, he attempted to return the 2 back into play. I told him I didn't want it and suggested he burn it instead. He insisted, saying, 'No, the next card is that 2.' Based on my calculations, I had a 13% disadvantage with that 2 as my initial card, so I decided to cash out and leave. It was disappointing because had it been a ten or an ace, I would have made a substantial bet.

In Vegas, it's standard practice to avoid backing up cards, so typically, that 2 would have been burned. blackjack appendix 14 There were also one or two poker tables and some slot machines lining the edges.

As is common across Europe, roulette ranks as the game of choice in Malta. They adhere to standard European gaming rules, where the wheel features only one zero, and even money bets are halved if the ball lands on zero.

For even money bets, the house edge stands at 1.35%, while all other bets carry a 2.70% edge.

Casino Games

Blackjack rules in Malta are quite similar to those found in the UK. The only major distinction is that re-splitting aces is prohibited. To clarify the rules:

If a player doubles or splits and the dealer turns up a blackjack, the player forfeits everything.

Blackjack

According to my blackjack house edge calculator, which considers six decks, the house edge under these conditions is 0.53%.

• 6 to 8 decks.
• Dealer stands on soft 17.
• Dealer does not take a hole card.
• The basic strategy mirrors that of UK rules, as follows.
• No surrender.
• Double after splitting allowed.
• Re-splitting aces not allowed.
• About 75% penetration.

Minimum bets typically range from 5 to 10 Euros, while maximum bets often reach between 250 to 500 Euros.

Similar to other European countries, video poker doesn't enjoy widespread popularity in Malta. I stumbled upon just a couple of 0.25€ Joker Poker machines at the Portomaso casino. The following table illustrates the expected return when playing optimally, with the bottom right cell indicating a return of 87.25%, marking one of the lowest rates I’ve encountered for video poker.



In Malta, slot machines don’t seem to capture as much interest in comparison to those found in the US. You can expect to encounter modern five-reel video slots. The manufacturers of slots in Europe differ from those in the US, so don’t anticipate finding familiar IGT or Bally titles in Malta or anywhere else in Europe.

Other Table Games

Standard rules are followed.

Video Poker

I apologize for the succinct nature of this casino overview, but there isn’t a wealth of information regarding the casinos in Malta. They resemble many others seen across Europe, both in terms of size and the variety of games offered.

Slot Machines

Explore mathematically sound strategies and detailed insights for various casino games including blackjack, craps, roulette, and many more.

Conclusion

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Written by: Michael Shackleford