The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has denied its association with the online casino casinowinner.io.
It is unclear what has prompted the clarification. However, the regulatory body released a statement confirming that it has no connection with casinowinner and any reference to the regulatory body on the operator’s website is “false and misleading”.
At the time of writing, the casinowinner website states that it is operated by Winner Media N.V., holder of an E-gaming license issued by the Central Government of the Netherlands Antilles.
The MGA name or logo does not currently appear to be listed on the casinowinner’s platform.
God55 and Birmingham City
This is not the first time the MGA has been forced to release such a clarification of this nature.
Following an Insider Sport and iGaming Expert investigation, the MGA confirmed it had no connection with the Malaysia-based God55 brand following the announcement of the operator’s partnership with Birmingham City as the League One club’s Asian betting partner.
At the time of announcing its agreement with the Blues, God55 had claimed to have an MGA license and was described as “one of the biggest and most trusted brands in the online gaming industry”.
However, iGaming Expert found no evidence that God55 has a valid licence with the MGA, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA). All three of which are still listed on the God55 platform.
Following the controversy, the UK Gambling Commission issued a statement reminding football clubs of their duty to carry out “significant due diligence” regarding sponsorship deals with the gambling industry.
The deal follows a growing trend of similar deals seen throughout English football that have drawn the attention of the UKGC.
Last year, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace received a warning from the commission concerning their partnerships with Kaiyun Sports, an Asian gambling company unlicensed in the UK.
Other partnerships, including between De.Bet and Wolverhampton Wanderers and BC.GAME and Leicester City have also drawn significant backlash from supporters to varying extents.
