Malta Gambling Authority Review

The Malta Gaming Authority is the country’s main body for controlling land-based and virtual gambling, created in 2001. Our experts analyzed the jurisdiction and determined that the establishment is engaged in controlling and issuing licenses and certificates of safe gambling activities in the iGaming segment. According to our research, the MGA issues a permit for the following entertainment for money:

• Online pokies with a random number generator
• Sports betting
• Bets with fixed odds
• Poker and lotteries

Besides, the Gaming Commission issues a Notice of Recognition to those companies and operators that have received a license in other EU countries or Asia.

Benefits of the MGA License

Based on a detailed analysis of the casino license, the experts of our project found several important pros:

• High-security level: Our analysis showed that MGA-licensed casinos use modern security methods, including SSL encryption, and set up two-factor authentication for maximum data protection and confidentiality.
• Fast payment processing: Due to the use of digital currencies USDT, Tron, Bitcoin, etc., funds are received on the site instantly and withdrawn on the same day or instantly.
• Excellent software quality: Portals with a Malta license easily sign contracts with top gambling suppliers. This means that you will get access to classic and innovative entertainment with live graphics, animation, and bonus features to achieve maximum profit.
• Honest bonuses: The jurisdiction independently verifies the platform’s fairness. Moreover, independent auditors such as eCOGRA or iTech Labs are engaged for performance and honesty testing. After that, players get access to a gaming hall with safe and reliable gambling.
• Mobile compatibility: Most sites with a Malta license have a fully optimized mobile version, so players can run their favorite pokies on portable devices with Android or iOS.

Security of Licensed MGA Casinos

Any Malta casino stands out among its competitors with the strictest rules and honesty. The licensor is fighting illegal games for money, trying to create a safe gaming environment for Australians and other players. Here are the main security aspects of MGA-licensed casinos:

• Licensing activity and strict regulation: To ensure the stability and safety of club activities, the licensor forces all operators on its territory to obtain the appropriate documentation. This process involves deep testing of the company, determination of honesty, financial stability, absence of criminal activities, and scaling of the operator’s activities.
• Honesty on the site: Portals receive an official license only after proving the certification of their random number generators. Experts have already mentioned the involvement of independent auditors who issue certificates to gambling sites.
• Timeliness of payment of winnings: The controlling body verifies the availability of casino funds for payment of winnings, which guarantees users the timeliness of payment of funds even in the conditions of the company’s financial crisis.
• Protection of personal, contact, and banking information: To ensure the security of player data and comply with the General Data Protection Regulation, the Maltese Gambling Commission requires sites to use modern encryption protocols to protect confidential information.
• Quick resolution of complaints: According to our data, all players can contact the jurisdiction directly to resolve the issue of non-payment of winnings or a conflict situation.
• Fight against money laundering: To whiten the gambling industry, the online casino with a Malta license uses a wide range of tools to fight money laundering: identification of the person, monitoring of activities and transfers, and detection of suspicious activities.
• Responsible gaming: a set of comprehensive measures to combat gambling addiction is a priority task of the Maltese Commission. It obliges MGA-licensed portals not only to notify players about the dangers of playing for money in the same online pokies for a long time but also to offer effective methods of combating the spread of gambling addiction: restrictions on the maximum bet, deposits, losses, time in the game, pauses, self-exclusion, etc.
• Adequate and fast support service: The platform should be equipped with support from professional consultants who can solve players’ problems instantly. The latter should come to the aid of users 24/7 in a few seconds.

Process of Obtaining a License in Malta

Operators of Australian online casinos have a long way to obtain an official license from Malta, where they have to prove the legality and legitimacy of their actions. The jurisdiction will force those wishing to obtain a license document to provide a full report on the company’s finances, stability and security, and the purity of capital receipts. Also, operators and co-owners will be forced to undergo biometric and biographical checks for participation in fraudulent schemes.

The inspection body will pay equal attention to the study of software security, the presence of elements of creating safe game conditions, technologies on the site, and the general policy of the gambling operator. Each site must offer a detailed description of the tools of responsible gaming and also declare a desire to fight money laundering.

Having analyzed the information on the official website of the jurisdiction, our experts identified the following stages of obtaining a license:

1. Submission of an application and its consideration by the Gambling Commission
2. Studying aspects of a business plan
3. Verification of compliance with operational standards
4. Performance testing of the online casino system
5. Determination of compliance with jurisdictional norms
6. Latest checks and approval of casinos with MGA documents

To apply, use the jurisdiction’s official website. Specialists of our team learned that the decision is made within 12-16 weeks. After satisfying the request of the operator, he must pay some taxes:

• Registration fees in the range of 25,000 – 500,000 euros
• To confirm the stability of the company, the operator must pay the coverage of capital requirements: 40,000 – 240,000 euros
• Annual payments for permit documentation: 25,000 euros

Moreover, other requirements apply to online casino owners. For example, a company must open its headquarters in Malta and have at least one shareholder. A Maltese director must work on site. The operating company must open at least two bank accounts and hire an internal auditor, an expert on the protection of confidential data, etc.

Based on the results of our investigations, we learned that the Malta license is valid for 10 years and can be easily extended if the gambling operator wishes. During the document’s validity, the gaming commission regularly checks and controls the operator, imposing fines or revoking the license in case of fraudulent activities. The penalties depend on the volume of violations and the type of fraud, up to 10,000 – 500,000 euros or deprivation of the right to obtain a license for 5 years.

Regulations on Licensed MGA Casinos

We have already talked about the strictness of the Maltese Commission, which ensures its impeccable reputation in the iGaming market. The experts of our platform studied the main provisions of the portals that received the MGA license:

• Conditions for issuing a license: The company-owner of the casino must convince the inspectors of its financial stability, ability to pay the winnings of users, and other expenses, even at times of serious financial burdens. Also, the operator must guarantee the safety of the game and the fairness of the results, the reliability and security of user data. A candidate for a license must convince the commission of his good faith, absence of participation in fraudulent schemes, criminal liability for past actions and pass a thorough reliability check.
• Fairness of gambling: To confirm the fairness of each spin in free online pokies or table games and increase the confidence of casino players, the gaming establishment operator must publicly publish data on the certification of the random number generator. This will confirm non-interference in the operation of drum and other gambling games, the randomness of the draw results, and general honesty on the site. Brand software must undergo regular checks by independent auditors, supported by new certificates.
• Safety for players: To guarantee the safety of users, site owners must keep funds in additional funds. This will help players to receive their winnings without problems and in a timely manner. To confirm financial security, operators also conduct regular checks on the coverage of winnings.
• Effective, responsible play: It is not enough to equip the site with informational articles about problems with alcoholism and methods of checking players for their presence. It is important to provide users with tools that will protect the game: various limits, pauses, cooling, self-exclusion, and links and contacts of organizations ready to consult game addicts online and instantly.
• Fight against money laundering: The licensor forces the owners of gambling platforms to fight money laundering and exclude financial terrorism. For this, authoritative platforms with an MGA license are required to verify players using the Know Your Customer procedure and monitor user behavior to exclude financial fraud.

Contact Information

To familiarize yourself with the regulations and procedures of the Malta Gaming Commission, go to the link https://www.mga.org.mt/ and learn about the benefits of the licensor in person. The following communication channels are used for quick communication with the jurisdiction:

• Email: Write requests to [email protected]. The managers will try to answer your suggestions, complaints, or advice as quickly as possible.
• Hotline number: call +3562546 9000, where consultants will respond to requests within 2-5 minutes.

We would like to note the exact address of the Malta Gaming Authority’s headquarters: Building SCM 02-03, Level 4, SmartCity Malta, Ricasoli SCM1001, Malta, SCM 1001.