The Malta Gaming Authority has once again been forced to shut down its connection to a number of online casino platforms.
The island’s regulatory body released a statement that any reference to the MGA on the websites www.rrbet.com, babu88bd.com and www.wagerstreet.net is ‘false and misleading’.
RRbet appears to be a brand focused on the Nigerian market and claims to be licensed in Curacao. However, the licensing number listed cannot be found on the website of the Curacao Gaming Authority (CGA). The platform also carries the logo of the MGA.
Meanwhile, Babu88 is focused on the Bangladeshi market, where online gambling operates in a grey area with no local regulation. The site repeatedly lists the MGA as its regulatory body, but does not provide any form of licensing number to verify this fact.
Finally, Wagerstreet is US-focused and does not list any form of licensee on its main page. However, within its terms and conditions, it informs customers that it can take complaints to the MGA if required, which is where the link to the regulator can be found.
The regulator warned in its statement: “The MGA would like to remind consumers not to utilise services provided by an entity unless they have ascertained that the entity in question is authorised to provide such services by the MGA.
“The activities of unlicensed entities are unregulated and do not provide the necessary safeguards delineated by virtue of the framework, making transactions with such entities risky for consumers.”
The notice follows on from a similar clarification made last month regarding four different URLs, including sites focused on the Korean and Russian markets.
The use of the MGA name and logo has been a persistent issue, and the first notice issued by the MGA regarding such a problem stretches back to 2006.
Last year, the regulator added 42 different URLs to its list of unauthorised websites.
The most high-profile of these were the many sites linked to God55, a Malaysian brand which partnered with the English football team Birmingham City in March last year.
Following an investigation by iGaming Expert, no evidence was found that God55 had a valid licence for the MGA, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) or the CGA, despite claiming so on their websites at the time.
