Malta

The Republic of Malta is an independent island nation in the Mediterranean Sea. Tourism is a key sector of the country's economy. In addition, the local government is actively developing the gambling business, creating favorable conditions for foreign gambling operators. This activity will be discussed later in the article. 

Malta: Casino with licenses

The Remote Gaming section of the Malta Gaming Authority's official website has a list of all valid license holders. There you will also find a list of operators whose licenses have been suspended and a list of scammers working on fake documents that mimic MGA licenses.

Among the organization's licensees are well–known operators Betfair, BML Group, Unibet, Betway, Casumo, iGame Malta, Mr. Green, bwin.party, Wazdan, Yggdrasil, and others. 

Malta review

The most promising direction for this industry is the regulation of online gambling. Malta became the first member of the European Union, which, at the state level, began to issue licenses for the organization of online casinos and other virtual gambling establishments.

Currently, a government organization called the Malta Gaming Authority issues four types of licenses:

1. Class 1 covers casino games, online lotteries, and other games where the operator risks their money.
2. Class 2 applies to different types of bookmakers and sweepstakes.
3. Class 3 is issued to establishments that earn commissions from players (for example, poker rooms).
4. Class 4 is a license for developers of software used in gambling.

Under MGA licenses, you can open almost any type of gambling establishment offering the following types of services:

• Offline and online casinos (including the live casino);
• Commercial bingo;
• Entertainment devices;
• The equipment for gaming;
• Sports betting;
• Sports poker;
• The national lottery;
• Casino on cruise ships;
• Bookmaker;
• Non–commercial games.

Gambling history in this country

• The first gambling game, which was very popular in the country, historians call Ic – Cippitatu. In Malta, it was played several centuries ago, although it is hardly possible to name the exact dates. It was a kind of public lottery, which was arranged for the holidays.
• 1922 – Malta adopted the Lotto Act, which defined the rules of lotteries.
• 1945 – The Lottery Department is Founded.
• 1948 – Malta national lottery was launched.
• 2001 – The Act on Lotteries and Other Games was Adopted, and the Department of Lotteries and Gambling (the Lotteries and Gaming Authority) was founded
• 2004 – Malta becomes the first EU country to have a government body dealing with online gambling.
• March 2005 – was elected to the First Council of Remote Gambling in Malta (Malta Remote Gaming Council). MRGC regulated the activities of gambling operators and providers of such services. This body launched a forum on the Internet, where stakeholders discussed various gaming-related issues.
• September 2007 - The UK's "white list" of countries that meet the stringent requirements of the British Gambling Commission has led many operators to consider Malta as a potential gambling jurisdiction.
• June 2011 – Malta greatly simplified the procedure for applying for licenses and obtaining documents, which made it more attractive for casino owners.
• 2012 – MGA has signed a Memorandum of understanding with the gaming commissions of Jersey and Denmark. This step made cooperation with the organization more convenient and transparent for customers.
• 2015 – The Malta Gaming Authority investigated the operators 'links to the mafia, which resulted in the cancellation of several operators' licenses.

Licensing authority

An organization called Malta Gaming Authority is currently engaged in issuing licenses and overall control of gambling operators. "Act on lotteries and gambling" prescribes its main objectives and goals:

Competent to regulate the various sectors of the lottery and gaming industry covered by its powers, ensuring the integrity and transparency of the gaming process for players, preventing crime, corruption and money laundering, as well as protecting small and vulnerable players.

It not only issues permits but also monitors the integrity of operators, prevents money laundering, helps unprotected players, and so on.

Mga does not certify software.

It deals with customer complaints only when they relate to the licensing of establishments. 

Requirements for licensees

Since the Malta Gaming Authority issues licenses of four classes required for the organization of different types of gambling, the conditions for obtaining documents in each case must be specified.

The rules are detailed in the thematic sections of the official website of the MGA. It also talks about the cost of all types of licenses. You can download the forms of all the documents that you need to send to apply in the downloads section.

The established requirements for licensees are related to the size of the authorized capital, the system of measures to combat money laundering, the reliability of the software used, and so on.

An important factor is the mandatory location of the company's head office in Malta and the implementation of a significant part of financial transactions within the country.

After obtaining a license, the operator must fulfill many other requirements. These relate to proper financial reporting, proper protection of customers' personal data, and measures to combat the development of gambling, among many other aspects.

If the licensee systematically violates the established rules, its validity may be suspended or canceled altogether. 

Conclusion

Malta attracts numerous gaming operators with reasonable legal requirements and relatively low license costs. At the same time, MGA has been able to win the trust of both institution owners and customers as it consistently adheres to the chosen course for the development of this industry.