At the next edition of ICE Barcelona 2025, Melilla will be presented as a pole of attraction for the online gaming industry, offering a compendium of innovations and an unrivalled fiscal framework. The Autonomous City is strongly committed to technological innovation and specialised training, seeking to consolidate its position as an ideal place for the expansion of companies in the sector.
This is what Jesús Martínez, the current Director General of Technological Innovation, tells us in an EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with our editor JACQUELINE MECINAS.
What’s new and specific offers will Melilla have at ICE Barcelona 2025?
The Autonomous City Government understands that ICE Barcelona is the most important event in the online gaming industry. That's why we are attending with our own booth to show industry professionals that Melilla is firmly committed to innovation and does so with an unparalleled fiscal framework. Over the past few years, we have created a very attractive setting to draw companies from the sector. During this time, we have worked hand in hand with the sector's key players to foster the right environment, not only in fiscal or technological terms but also in social or educational terms, providing tools for tailor-made training of personnel and to make their stay in our city unbeatable. And that is what we are going to show in Barcelona, that Melilla is the ideal place for companies to set up and grow with us.
What additional measures are being taken in Melilla to improve its infrastructure and attract more investments, especially in the gaming and betting sector?
As I mentioned, Melilla is technologically equipped to host online gaming companies or companies that provide them services, regardless of their size. Years ago, the entire city was connected with optimal fiber, and there is FTTH connection at all points in Melilla. Even a second maritime cable with the Peninsula was laid to ensure communications at all times. This robust connectivity guarantees smooth operations for companies in the sector. In that aspect, we are covered. This is already a point of attraction, and we cannot deny that the low taxation, the most competitive in all of Europe, is decisive when deciding to bet on Melilla. But we have also realized that companies need qualified personnel, and the Government has initiated training lines for our young people, thus filling this gap that may exist. If I may use the expression, we are giving a tailor-made collaboration to the companies that are already in the city or to those planning to relocate.
How does Melilla view the evolution of the gaming and betting market in the coming years?
Data reveals that it is a sector that still has a wide margin for growth. Innovation is constant, and with it, the evolution of the market. That is why we consider it vital that regional administrations maintain constant dialogue with the state and support each other to protect a high-tech sector that generates a significant amount of jobs, both directly and indirectly. For example, stability must be given to the advertising of legal online gaming, and in this case, regulation should not be restrictive because we must not lose competitiveness against the illegal market.
What kind of support and services can companies expect if they decide to establish themselves in Melilla?
We could go into more detail about what we have been discussing. Melilla offers numerous aids and subsidies to companies that locate in the city. Our territory also provides high safety standards, something very important for any professional. And to this, we must add the tax advantages, with very notable reductions in taxes such as the Corporate Tax, the Personal Income Tax (IRPF), and the Gaming Activities Tax (IAJ). What does this translate into? Clearly, in Melilla, the investments of these companies will generate higher returns.
Another aspect to consider is connectivity. The city has daily maritime and air connections with strategic cities on the Peninsula such as Malaga or Madrid. And residents benefit from a 75% discount on these transports. But we have more, because we offer non-residents a package of tourist vouchers that make travel and stay in Melilla quite affordable.
The active and firm commitment of the Government of Melilla to support and enhance the development of the online gaming industry is undeniable.
What kind of relationships do you expect to strengthen at ICE Barcelona, and what type of companies are you looking to partner with in Melilla?
We are attending with a tight schedule of meetings with the aim of attracting potential investors to our city and continuing to increase our value as a base for the online business network of gaming and chance professionals in Spain. Our main goal is to firsthand learn about the next generation of technology and games that will drive the growth of both physical and online operators looking for new business niches for the city.
What strategies are you implementing to position Melilla as a center of excellence in the gaming and betting sector?
The Government's initiatives to attract iGaming companies have already borne fruit, and we can affirm, without fear of being wrong, that Melilla is consolidating itself as an attractive enclave for the sector. We currently have 13 online gaming companies that employ about 300 people. Some provide services to final operators (B2B) and others offer direct services to the end consumer (B2C). The Administration supports them daily and has channeled this collaboration through the Online Gaming Association of Melilla. This synergy makes iGaming a key piece for the transformation of Melilla's economic model. But we can still improve, and that is why we are betting on further strengthening the technological infrastructure or specialized training. And we have also put more effort into improving international promotion and the creation of strategic alliances.
We will maintain this line of work, we will expand efforts so that Melilla and the online gaming companies grow together. We must ensure that the companies that are already here improve their business returns, and that this has a positive impact on job creation. And we will continue to pave the way to attract professionals who collaborate in the dynamization of the local economy.
What plans are there to boost tourism and local commerce in Melilla through the gaming sector?
Earlier, we mentioned the good connectivity of the city thanks to the port and airport, or we pointed out the tourist vouchers to attract visitors at an affordable price. We must be even more demanding in this regard. More can always be done. We have managed to extend the airport's hours, but we continue to fight for more frequencies, to connect with new cities, to have better prices. And we also look for formulas to make the stay of gaming professionals in Melilla increasingly pleasant, to have enough space to settle in, to have their needs for training, housing, leisure covered… Melilla is, by nature, a welcoming city and that is how we make it known to all companies.
What final message would you like to convey to the attendees of ICE Barcelona about the opportunities that Melilla can offer in this sector?
Melilla has arrived to stay. We have consolidated our position as a technological and digital hub. Our specific tax advantages and our superior technological infrastructure position us as a distinctive and competitive enclave compared to other jurisdictions. And with all this, we are at the disposal of all those companies that want to grow with us.
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