The i-gaming industry - especially in a small location such as Malta - has made a big impact. It has spawned several support industries, such as recruitment, office rental and purchase, the establishment of companies, business and individual relocation, licensing, financial advisory services, etc. The employment of both Maltese and foreigners brings more income to the island, in taxes and consumer spending.

Internet gaming (or i-gaming), a new industry fueled by technology and globalization, has taken off in recent years and is now well-developed, becoming a US$17 bn industry over the last decade and a half, having grown by 30-40% in the first few years. But it poses significant challenges for the marketer. What is i-gaming? How is it marketed? How are new customers/consumers attracted and existing ones retained? What are some of the image/ethics issues involved and how should this offering be pitched?

The well-known "Four Ps" framework can be useful here in analyzing the marketing challenge of this unique and growing business. As every MBA student knows, the "marketing mix" - popularized after Neil H Borden in 1964 - includes concepts such as product planning, pricing, branding, distribution channels, personal selling, advertising, promotions, packaging, display, customer servicing, and the physical handling of the product. E Jerome McCarthy later grouped them into the four famous categories considered in this article. Here, we look at a study of the i-gaming industry in Malta, a small Mediterranean island with an attractive regulatory environment, targeting offshore customers in Europe and beyond.

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