As the first jurisdiction in the EU that introduced regulated remote gaming, with an average of a hundred new applications a year and being the largest EU i-gaming jurisdiction, Malta’s success in the i-gaming arena is undisputed.
Malta’s strategy in i-gaming has been bold and unique. The legislator decided to focus on regulation and transparency, providing a strict approach to licensing and monitoring of gaming operations. This has resulted in optimum protection for players on the one hand, to providing a regulatory solution to operators on the other, thereby achieving a balance between two opposing needs: the supplier’s and the customer’s.
Malta’s main advantage is the fact that it is an onshore jurisdiction. Maltese operators do not face the difficulties that offshore operators face with exchange controls, access to capital markets and access to e-wallets and payment gateways worldwide. In the case of Malta i-gaming licensees, players find comfort in knowing that they are dealing with an onshore jurisdiction whose legislation is in line with the applicable EU legislation and international agreements.
Malta has always remained at the forefront of advances in technologies which affect the gaming sector. In 2017, the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) together with the stakeholders of the gaming industry embarked upon a mission to make gaming legislation future-proof and thus ensuring that the gaming laws would be kept up to speed with emerging and disruptive technologies such as virtual currencies and distributed ledger technologies.
As the first jurisdiction in the EU that introduced regulated remote gaming, with an average of a hundred new applications a year and being the largest EU i-gaming jurisdiction, Malta’s success in the i-gaming arena is undisputed.
Malta’s strategy in i-gaming has been bold and unique. The legislator decided to focus on regulation and transparency, providing a strict approach to licensing and monitoring of gaming operations. This has resulted in optimum protection for players on the one hand, to providing a regulatory solution to operators on the other, thereby achieving a balance between two opposing needs: the supplier’s and the customer’s.
Malta’s main advantage is the fact that it is an onshore jurisdiction. Maltese operators do not face the difficulties that offshore operators face with exchange controls, access to capital markets and access to e-wallets and payment gateways worldwide. In the case of Malta i-gaming licensees, players find comfort in knowing that they are dealing with an onshore jurisdiction whose legislation is in line with the applicable EU legislation and international agreements.
Malta has always remained at the forefront of advances in technologies which affect the gaming sector. In 2017, the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) together with the stakeholders of the gaming industry embarked upon a mission to make gaming legislation future-proof and thus ensuring that the gaming laws would be kept up to speed with emerging and disruptive technologies such as virtual currencies and distributed ledger technologies.
Country Highlights
| GAMING JURISDICTION: Largest in the EU |
REGULATOR: Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) |
| B2B GAMING LICENCES: 100+ licenses |
SYSTEMS: Cloud ready and Crypto Friendly |
| TOTAL LICENSE BASE: 13.9 million+ |
I-GAMING LAW: 1st in the EU |
Legal Basis
All gambling activities in Malta are regulated by the Gaming Act of 2018 which grants power to the Malta Gaming Authority to issue licenses for both land-based and remote gambling activities. The Act consolidated all previous laws and regulations and provided for an overhaul in the licensing system reducing the various classification of licences to two: Business-To-Consumer (B2C) and Business-to-Business (B2B).
The 2018 Gaming Act is supplemented by several regulations with specific focus on consumer protection standards, responsible gaming measures, reporting suspicious gaming transactions and measures to encourage innovation and development.
The MGA is the authority tasked with the monitoring and oversight of gaming in or from Malta. The main initiatives enhancing the MGA’s regulatory powers are the following:
- Formalization of the role of the MGA as official mediator between operators and players
- The scope of the functions and powers of the MGA has increased to not only supervise licensed operators but also those entities offering ancillary services
- Ensuring that advertising is conducted fairly and diligently
- Issuing guidelines and policies for the conduct of gaming operations in or from Malta
- Ensuring high standards in the conduct and management of gaming operations
Benefits
- Cost Effective License Fee
- 5% Net Effective Corporate Tax
- Technology and Game Neutral Regulations
- Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies Friendly
Eligibility
The following requirements have to be satisfied in order to successfully obtain a B2B licence in Malta:
- The gaming operator must be a company incorporated in Malta or another EU country
- No restrictions on the nationality of the ultimate beneficial owners of the company
- Shareholders, directors and persons carrying out key functions must be approved by the MGA
- Minimum share capital to be paid up €40,000
Process & Timeline
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