The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) is proceeding with the immediate cancellation of Winzon Group’s B2C gaming service licence, effective retroactively from 11 March 2026.
Winzon’s licence is being cancelled ‘in accordance with the proviso to reg. 10 (2) (b) of the Gaming Compliance and Enforcement Regulations (S.L. 583.06)’, a special legal provision which allows the authority to bypass the standard 20-day show cause notice period.
As a result, the MGA has told the group to shut down its operations immediately and:
- Notify players of the cancellation via email and on its websites for 30 days.
- Refund all legitimate players and provide the authority with a transaction report with supporting bank statements as proof.
- Process personal data in accordance with its privacy policy and any applicable data protection legislation, including notifying players accordingly.
- Remove MGA references and authorisation from its websites.
- Settle €46,693.23 in outstanding MGA fees (annual licence fee and the minimum compliance contributions owed).
- Pay €147,080 in administrative penalties due to ‘numerous shortcomings in contravention of the Act and regulatory instruments issued thereunder’.
The MGA added that Winzon will also ‘remain liable for all applicable obligations emanating from the Act and any other applicable regulatory instrument’.
Winzon had over 40 websites approved by the MGA and had software providers such as Tom Horn Gaming, Oryx Gaming, Booming Games, EveryMatrix and Relax Gaming present on its platforms.
Malta VAT and tax changes
The cancellation of Winzon’s licence comes as the MGA and the Malta Tax and Customs Administration (MTCA) make changes to the Malta gaming tax system following publication of legal notices 84 and 86, to make it clearer and more predictable for operators.
The reforms will make amendments to the VAT Act, clarifying exemptions, implementing place of supply rules and input VAT recovery.
Changes will also be made to gaming tax regulations, including ‘simplified and equitable gaming tax rates for both land-based and online operators when offering qualifying gaming activities to players present in Malta’, as well as consolidating gaming tax and device levy into a single streamlined gaming tax structure classified by game type and mode of offer.
The MGA stated that the changes were driven by industry feedback and are part of its 2026 budget, while the gaming tax framework is ‘specifically designed to ensure a well-balanced overall impact on Malta’s gaming services sector’.
“Taken together, these coordinated reforms represent a measured and forward‑looking policy response that strengthens Malta’s fiscal resilience, regulatory clarity and international standing as a leading gaming jurisdiction,” said the authority.
“They provide operators with greater certainty and efficiency, while ensuring Malta remains a stable and competitive base for gaming businesses.”
The changes are scheduled to come into effect from 1 October 2026, with further guidance from the MGA and MTCA set to be issued in due course.
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