Malta Gaming Authority

When placing real money bets online, one of the vital steps to ensure your safety is to stick with betting sites and online casinos that are licensed by safe and reputable advanced gaming jurisdictions. The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) is one of the most trusted names in remote casino licensing – we explain more about the MGA, what it does to protect players and the best online casinos licensed within the Malta gambling jurisdiction.

Online casinos licensed by Malta

What is the Malta Gaming Authority?

The Malta Gaming Authority is the key authority responsible for overseeing the licensing and regulation of all remote gambling operations in Malta. It administers and regulates all gambling activities that take place via distant communication, including via the Internet, television, mobile phones and tablets.

As the first EU country to establish legislation regarding online gambling, the MGA is considered by many to be the best jurisdiction for online casino certification. Many of the leading online casino sites in the world are licensed by the MGA, such as those listed in the geo-targeted table at the top of this page.

As well as issuing online gaming licenses and overseeing regulation of the industry, the MGA provides a Player Support Centre, which is a platform where players can reach out to ask questions or report problems they may be experiencing with an online gambling vendor with a Malta Gaming license.

What is the purpose of the Malta Gaming Authority?

The purpose of the Malta Gaming Authority is to ensure that any online gaming operator with an MGA license is operating legally, fairly, responsibly and with player safety in mind. According to the wording of the Lotteries and Other Games Act 2001, the MGA’s mission is: “To regulate competently the various sectors of the gaming industry that fall under the Authority by ensuring gaming is fair and transparent to the players, preventing crime, corruption and money laundering and by protecting minor and vulnerable players.”

To adhere to its mission statement, the MGA aims to:

• Protect minors and vulnerable people
• Safeguard the rights of players
• Promote responsible gaming in a safe environment
• Ensure the integrity of games and gaming devices
• Keep gaming free from criminal activities.

The Authority operates under a strict Code of Ethics, with all decisions and actions based on the best interests of different stakeholders as provided by the law and internal policies. It is the duty of the MGA to make fair, impartial decisions that are free from favouritism or self-interest, while conducting all operations and communications in an honest and truthful manner.

The MGA is committed to ensuring the online gambling sector makes a positive contribution to the development of the country by monitoring all licensees, collecting gaming taxes on behalf of the Maltese government, conducting research on different aspects of gambling and supporting good and worthy causes.

Why Malta?

Over the past decade, Malta has emerged as one of the leaders in the regulation of online gaming. As the country was at the forefront of the industry since the beginning, the Malta Gaming Authority was able to take a proactive approach towards developments and changes in the sector, establishing a solid regulatory environment for the industry to thrive.

In 2004, Malta became the first member of the European Union to establish comprehensive legislation regarding online gambling, with the region now considered one of the most trusted gambling jurisdictions in the world. The MGA works closely with Maltese authorities to ensure a safe environment exists for players and vendors.

Along with the protection measures offered by the MGA, Malta also offers some of the most competitive tax rates in the world, making it an attractive jurisdiction for new gaming operators.

How to tell if a casino is licensed by the MGA

If an online casino is licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority, you will be able to find this information at the very bottom of the casino’s homepage (or if not there, within the venues ‘About Us’ section). Locate the MGA icon amongst the other symbols for licensing and software and click it to view details of the casino’s certification. The MGA Seal of Authorisation publicly lists all information about the casino operator, its active intermediaries, URLs, business address and the current status of its gaming license. If the online casino has any indiscretions, you will be able to see any issues listed here.

Why play at a licensed online casino?

Playing at an online casino that’s licensed by a reputable gambling jurisdiction like Malta is incredibly important to ensure you are playing at a safe, regulated venue that adheres to strict laws and industry standards to protect its players. We recommend our readers only ever place real money wagers online at betting sites or casinos that are certified by a trustworthy gambling jurisdiction and protected by a minimum of 128-Bit SSL (secure socket layer) digital encryption technology.