Skip to main content

Annual Report 2022

Download Full Report

The Authority

The Malta Gaming Authority is the regulatory body responsible for governing and supervising all gaming activities in and from Malta. We oversee our jurisdiction with the aim of ensuring that the gaming services provided are fair, responsible, safe, and secure, with particular emphasis on preventing crime, fraud, and money laundering, whilst protecting minors and vulnerable persons.

Our Key Functions

Read more
Acting as a gatekeeper to ensure that any individual or company applying for an authorisation is only able to obtain it when fit and proper to do so;
Acting as a supervisory authority in accordance with the Prevention of Money Laundering and Funding of Terrorism Regulations; Supporting and investigating player complaints;
Submitting legislative proposals to address changes within the sector;
Implementing Government policy and advising thereon;
Supervising all authorised persons to ensure ongoing compliance with the applicable regulatory requirements and that they remain suitable to hold their authorisation at all times.

Our Vision

Read more

Sustain Malta’s position as one of the most reputable jurisdictions in the gaming industry.

Raise standards within the gaming sector globally to make gaming fairer and safer, protecting the interests of consumers.

Ensure that gaming is kept free from crime by intensifying international collaboration efforts.

Adapt Malta’s gaming regulatory framework to evolving market needs, aiming for excellence.

Our Mission

Our mission is to competently regulate the various sectors of the gaming industry that fall under our remit by ensuring that gaming is fair and transparent to players, preventing crime, corruption and money laundering and protecting minor and vulnerable players.

Read more

Our Core Values

Read more

One MGA

Providing support to one another, working co-operatively, respecting each others’ views and making our work environment fun and enjoyable. Working with an attitude of inclusion and collaboration in everything we do.

Respect

Embracing and maintaining an attitude of tolerance, acceptance, and appreciation of diversity in all its forms while constantly communicating openly and honestly with a sense of altruism and sensitivity towards others.

Transparency

Being open, fair, and honest in all our dealings and maintaining the highest integrity at all times so that all stakeholders can have full trust in our organisation.

Passionate

Striving to go beyond our duty and aiming for excellence in the quality of our work.

Our People

Read more

Gender

Age

6

Under 20

64

20-30

60

31-40

32

41-50

12

51-60

5

60+

Education

84

Degree, Post Grad Degree or equivalent

37

Diploma

Our Organisational Structure

AuditCommittee Fit & ProperCommittee CommercialCommunicationsCommittee Compliance& EnforcementCommittee Chief ExecutiveOfficer Board ofGovernors ExecutiveCommittee Compliance Risk Management Regulatory Supervision Authorisations Anti-Money Laundering Player Support Investigations Responsible Gaming Sports Betting Integrity Human Resources Corporate Affairs Inspectorate Operations Due Diligence Research Facilities & Administration Finance Operations Revenue Assurance & Tax Compliance Information Management Quality & Operational Excellence Security & Infrastructure Data & Records Software Development Project Management Policy, International Affairs & Outreach Legal Affairs Enforcement SupervisoryCouncil InternalAudit Chief OfficerRegulatory Deputy CEO & Chief Officer Operations Chief Officer Finance& Business Transformation Chief Officer Policy& International Affairs

Regulatory Update

Read more

The Authority fuses the commercial needs of operators with a robust legal framework aimed at protecting players. As the single regulatory body responsible for the governance of all gaming activities in Malta, the MGA has garnered the reputation for being the preferred global remote gaming regulator.

Policy Initiatives

Read more

Sectorial skills strategy addressing the industry’s challenges regarding the ongoing demand for qualified & skilled human capital.

Agreed-Upon Procedures (AUP) reports requiring the reconciliation of licensees’ player funds & gaming revenue reports with their financial & backend systems.

Kickstarted work on a voluntary Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Code of Good Practice for the industry.

Consultation on the bets offered by licensees, with a focus on sports integrity and player protection considerations.

Consultation on the amendments to the Player Protection Directive, introducing markers of harm that help identify problem gambling behaviour.

Consultation on the Policy on the use of Innovative Technology Arrangements (ITAs) & the acceptance of Virtual Financial Assets (VFAs) & Virtual Tokens.

Player Protection and
Responsible Gambling

Read more

One of our main regulatory goals is to protect customers. To do this, the Authority ensures that licensees provide a safe and secure gaming environment and have the appropriate controls in place to allow players to wager responsibly and safely while protecting minors and other vulnerable individuals. The Player Protection and Responsible Gambling departments support players who contact us regarding responsible gambling issues and investigate such cases to ensure that our licensees conduct business in compliance with the law.

Received a total of 5,095 requests for assistance and resolved 5,280 (including spill-over from 2021).
2,272 Player Fund Reports received.
The Commercial Communications Committee took nine decisions regarding possible breaches of the Commercial Communications Regulations.
Investigated 38 cases of websites having misleading references to the Authority.
The MGA published a total of 17 notices on its website with the aim to prevent the public from falling victim to such scams.
85 responsible gambling website checks were conducted.

Collaboration

Read more

The Authority has endeavoured to build relationships and ongoing interactions with key local and international stakeholders throughout the years with the goal of exchanging ideas and best practices for regulating the gaming industry. In this light, the MGA entered into several data-sharing agreements, which ensure that when data is shared, there is an adequate legal basis for doing so.

International and Local Co-operation

Incoming Requests

Outgoing Requests

177 letters of good standing issued

Requests for Information

Sports Integrity

44 requests for information from sports agencies & bodies

25 instances of data exchanges

Contributor to 15 direct and 3 indirect investigations across the globe on manipulation of sports competitions or breaches in sports rules

Gaming Industry Statistics

Read more

As at the end of 2022

No. of companies in operation

350

No. of licences 358

196

B2C gaming service licences

162

B2B critical supply licences

Gross Value Added

€1,495m

Employment (FTEs) 11,245

10,365

Online

880

Land Based

During 2022

Gaming licence applications received

41

Gaming licences issued

31

Applications rejected/ withdrawn

21