The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has called for feedback from stakeholders before making changes to the jurisdiction’s financial requirements.
As part of a closed consultation with the relevant parties, the MGA is welcoming feedback on proposed amendments to its Gaming Authorisations and Compliance Directive, a 30-page document that sets out the requirements operators holding a Maltese gaming licence must follow.
On the potential changes, the MGA stated: “The proposed modifications aim to strengthen the MGA’s risk-based approach to regulating the financial aspects of licensees, addressing challenges encountered by the industry while further enhancing the Authority’s efficiency and regulatory effectiveness.”
Stakeholders invited to take part in the consultation will have until 25 April to submit feedback.
At the beginning of 2025, the MGA updated its financial reporting requirements for operators.
It now requires licensees to submit an annual financial report covering the entire 12 months of their financial year within two months of the period ending, as well as an interim Financial Report for the first six months of the financial year.
Landmark decision in Malta courts
Financial rules in Malta have faced significant scrutiny in recent months as EU members contest the nation-state’s right to protect its licensed operators from repaying money to customers.
The Maltese court has ruled in two separate cases that Austrian courts do not have the power to dictate whether gaming operators in Malta should compensate Austrian players, despite the Austrian courts initially siding with the two players.
Gerhard Posch and Philipp Wahl both lost significant sums with Maltese operators that were deemed illegal by the current Austrian framework in the country.
In their defences, operators TSG Interactive Gaming Europe and European Lotto and Betting underlined the free market and EU laws enabling the free movement of services, meaning the original Austrian decision was invalid.
Key to the case is Bill 55, which strengthens Maltese safeguards from international legal action from other jurisdictions.
The MGA has previously underlined that the bill is seeking to protect Maltese operators from “baseless legal challenges” and “protect against procedures that do not respect the European principle of a free market”.
The bill has previously come under scrutiny within EU courts – with a specific focus on ensuring there is enough transparency around the bill.
Additionally, the German regulator, the GGL, has also taken issue with the bill, stating its belief that it doesn’t feel it is compatible with EU law.
