First things first: US firm Steward Health Care, which in 2018 took over the concession for the operation of three hospitals from Vitals Global Healthcare, says it is fully focused on overhauling Malta’s hospital infrastructure before seeking to attract medical tourists to the island, says Armin Ernst, President of Steward Health Care International.

"Mentoring young talents and helping them in the development of their career aspirations inspires me to share my experiences". This is what motivates Jeremy Remacha to get to the office in the morning, as he reveals in his Executive Bio.

"My colleagues, my clients and the butterflies that come with facing a new challenge". This is what motivates Russell Mifsud to get to the office in the morning, as he reveals in his Executive Bio.

2018 is a game-changing year for banks and payment services providers as the Payments Services Directive 2 (PSD2) came into effect on January, 13. The new EU Directive aims to increase innovation, transparency and competition within the sector, requiring European banks to open their infrastructures to licensed third-party providers. This will enable more companies to get into the payments space, says Steve Grech, Chairman of the recently launched Financial Institutions Malta Association (FIMA).

Listening to the iGaming industry’s concerns is one of Silvio Schembri’s biggest priorities. The Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy & Innovation says that Malta wants to develop new talent within the industry while positioning itself as an international hub for DLT and blockchain operators.

Patrick Streppel, CEO of games publisher Insel Games, says that the sheer flood of new games makes it very difficult to gain players’ attention these days, while the use of in-app purchases means a game has to motivate people to keep on spending money.

David Hawkins, Managing Director of Exient, says that if iGaming companies want to offer a more entertaining experience to their players, they should look to the video-gaming industry for inspiration.

Alan Craig, Partner of Mazars Malta, says that good corporate governance has become a top priority of many iGaming companies. He believes that the majority of iGaming operators just need to tweak their systems in order to comply with the upcoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Harald Rösch, CEO of telecoms operator Melita, intends to give Malta the best telecoms infrastructure in Europe.

Kostandina Zafirovska of Btobet is convinced that Augmented Reality will shortly become an important tool for iGaming companies and urges operators not to underestimate the level of innovation that is required to stay ahead in this industry.

The iGaming industry can be difficult to navigate due to its ever-changing regulatory landscape. Operators have to focus not only on their legal responsibilities, but they also have to act ethically says Dr Ian Gauci, Co-Founder of Afilexion Alliance.

Company founder Georg Westin says in today’s competitive marketplace new start-ups need to use their funds wisely given the ever-increasing costs for marketing and compliance.

Robin Reed, CEO of Gaming Innovation Group (GiG), says disruptive and innovative start-ups can today take advantage of a strong and mature iGaming ecosystem to grow their business, but good tech needs to be at the heart of every new challenger brand.

There are still a large number of individuals that enter the iGaming sector without experience, says Mark Attard, CEO of BDO Malta. He adds that product innovation and player experience are critical factors for success in today’s very competitive iGaming industry.

As affiliates are coming under pressure from policy-makers, regulators and operators alike, Dennis Dyhr-Hansen says regulating the affiliate sector would significantly improve the industry’s standards.