Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)

The MGA regulates remote gambling from Malta and licenses a substantial proportion of the European online industry. Malta’s early adoption of a remote gaming framework, combined with EU membership and a favourable tax regime, made it the default base for operators serving multiple European markets.

What the licence requires

• Segregated player funds
• RNG certification by approved testing houses
• KYC and AML obligations under EU directives
• Responsible gambling tools: deposit limits, self-exclusion, session reminders
• Player dispute procedures, with the MGA acting as a mediator
• Annual audits and reporting

These are substantive requirements with real compliance costs, and the MGA has suspended and revoked licences for breaches.

Against the UKGC

	MGA	UKGC
Fund segregation	Required	Required, disclosed
Verification timing	Before withdrawal	Before deposit
National self-exclusion	No	GamStop
Affordability checks	Limited	Required at thresholds
Credit card gambling	Permitted	Banned
Slot restrictions	Few	Extensive
Dispute resolution	MGA mediation	Binding ADR

The MGA is a credible regulator. It is also meaningfully lighter-touch, which is part of why operators maintain Maltese licences alongside local ones.

The local licensing shift

The European picture has changed considerably. Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Spain and others now require national licences to serve their residents, so an MGA licence alone no longer covers those markets.

The MGA has consequently become more of a base licence for operators serving markets without their own regimes, alongside national licences where required.

Checking

The MGA maintains a public Licensee Register at mga.org.mt. Search the licence number and confirm the domain is listed against it.

As always, navigate to the regulator directly rather than following a link from the operator.

Complaints

Raise with the operator first. If unresolved, submit to the MGA’s player support function, which will investigate and mediate.

MGA mediation is less powerful than UK ADR, outcomes are not binding in the same way, but it is a genuine process with a regulator behind it, which is more than weaker jurisdictions offer.