The Malta Gaming Authority is the licensing and regulatory body for many online casinos. These include Royal Vegas, All Slots, Jackpot City and Spin Palace. Players at these online casinos will be glad to know that the Maltese Parliament has approved the final reading of the new Gaming Act. One major thrust is to elevate the role of the Malta Gaming Authority from regulatory perspective by strengthening the oversight functions. The MGA will be given more compliance and enforcement powers, particularly in areas of anti-money-laundering and combating the funding of terrorism.

However, MGA’s oversight ability will extend to normal online casino functions as well, and this is where it will better serve the needs of the general online casino player. The new Act will also create the role of a Key Official within a licensed online casino who will be responsible for direct scrutiny and targeted supervision controls. A dedicated Player Support Unit will act as a mediator between aggrieved players and online casino operators. To take care of rogue online casinos, the new Act envisages more effective processes for criminal and administrative justice. Other important areas of focus include consumer protection standards, responsible gaming measures and objective-oriented standards to encourage innovation and development.

The legislation is currently undergoing the Technical Regulation Information System process in line with European Union Directive 2015/1535. Here, the EU Commission and Member States may issue their opinions on the proposed Act. In the absence of any comments, the Act shall come into force on 1 July 2018. In order to facilitate smooth transition to the new legislative framework, the MGA has undertaken an initiative to reach out to its existing licensees. The process includes making the Malta licensed online casino operators aware of the changes. Guidelines are being issued on the application and interpretation of the new laws and policy.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy & Innovation, Hon. Silvio Schembri, is overseeing the changeover. He thanked the MGA for moving the regulatory agenda for gaming services forward, as well as for identifying areas for further and continuous improvement. He said in a press release. “The MGA will periodically review the regulatory performance of the sector and the framework itself and will advise Government on the attainment of its objectives mainly focusing on consumer protection and integrity.”