Malta Gaming Authority Releases 2024 Interim Performance Report

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has published its Interim Performance Report, detailing regulatory achievements and the gaming industry’s performance during the first half of 2024. 

The report highlights the Authority’s efforts to strengthen compliance, protect players, and uphold industry standards, providing insights into the Maltese gaming sector’s trajectory.

Supervisory and Compliance Activities

The MGA conducted extensive supervisory activities to ensure transparency and fairness across both land-based and online gaming operations. In the first six months of 2024:

• Licensing Decisions: The MGA reviewed 15 gaming license applications, rejecting two due to misleading or incomplete submissions. A total of eight new licenses and four renewals were issued.
• Fit and Proper Assessments: Over 600 criminal probity checks were carried out, with seven cases failing to meet the MGA’s standards. Complex cases were reviewed by the Fit and Proper Committee, which held ten meetings and made 29 decisions.
• Enforcement Actions: The Authority issued 20 warnings, 10 administrative penalties totaling €128,800, suspended two licenses, and canceled eight. Additionally, three regulatory settlements amounted to €61,522.
• AML/CFT Examinations: Thirteen anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) compliance reviews were initiated, and 23 were concluded, leading to fines of €185,000 for three licensees by the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU).

Player Protection and Responsible Gambling

In line with its commitment to safeguarding players, the MGA supported 1,625 individuals seeking assistance, including cases carried over from 2023. The Authority received 962 player fund reports, ensuring operators maintained adequate reserves to cover player liabilities. Responsible gambling measures included:

• Website Audits: Twelve audits were conducted, resulting in seven observation letters sent to operators to address compliance issues.
• Misleading Information: Ten cases of misleading website information were investigated, with nine notices published to inform the public.

Industry Performance Highlights

The gaming sector continued to play a vital role in Malta’s economy. Key highlights include:

• Economic Contribution: The sector contributed €712.6 million in gross value added during the period, representing 7.1% of Malta’s GDP.
• Employment: Over 13,860 full-time equivalent positions were reported, with 91.2% linked to online gaming operations.
• Revenue Generation: Compliance contributions, license fees, and levies collected by the MGA totaled €41.4 million.

Collaboration and Global Cooperation

The MGA worked closely with local and international partners to address challenges in the gaming industry. Efforts to combat match-fixing led to 162 suspicious betting reports, with 143 alerts shared with licensees. The MGA also responded to 35 collaboration requests from other regulatory bodies and issued 28 regulatory good-standing confirmations for licensed operators.

Source:

''MGA Issues Interim Performance Report for January to June 2024'', mga.org.mt, 18 December 2024.