Issuing its 2025 annual report, the Maltese Gaming Authority (MGA) has revealed the prevalence of the issue of false licensing claims.
It’s an issue that has seemingly grown throughout the year, with the MGA revealing it has sent 35 cease-and-desist letters as it looks to widen action against illicit actors that masquerade as MGA-licensed firms.
Underlining that the challenges around regulating the sector are continuing to evolve, CEO Charles Mizzi warned: “The challenge facing regulators today is not to regulate more, but to regulate better.
“Throughout 2025, we refined the way we regulate – strengthening our risk-based approach to oversight, improving engagement, streamlining processes, and making better use of data and technology to focus our efforts where they matter most. That is how we strengthen confidence in the Maltese licence, safeguard players, and support the long-term sustainability of Malta’s gaming sector.”
As part of the MGA’s wider investigations and collaboration with other regulators and bodies, a total of 109 URLs linked to unregulated activity were investigated. 42 were found to contain fraudulent references to the MGA or its licensees and were added to the public list of unauthorised URLs.
Collaboration was cited as being important for the MGA in the battle against illicit actors, with it confirming 56 requests for information and engaging in 85 data exchanges with enforcement agencies, sports bodies, integrity units, and other regulators.
Furthermore, the Authority also received 66 requests for international collaboration from other regulators and sent 12 requests itself, mostly for cooperation or background checks as part of authorisations.
Fuelled by the growth of the B2B sector, the 2025 accounts cemented the significant economic impact of the sector, with Malta’s gaming industry generating €1.42bn in Gross Value Added (GVA), up 3.5% on 2024 and accounting for 6.3% of Malta’s GDP.
Employment across the sector also elevated, with the MGA estimating that gaming now supports approximately 19,150 jobs.
Furthermore, as Malta continues to build its iGaming sector within the economy, the MGA has underpinned it will continue its evolution amid new dynamics.
Chairman Ryan Pace stated: “As the industry continues to evolve, new business models are emerging and Malta’s role as a hub for international B2B gaming businesses continues to strengthen.”
