The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has published its 2025 Annual Report and audited Financial Statements, outlining regulatory activity across licensing, supervision, enforcement and international cooperation. The report also reviews Malta’s land-based and online gaming sectors while assessing industry trends expected to shape the market.
Licensing Reviews and Supervisory Work
During 2025, the Authority received 38 applications for new gaming licences and granted 19. It also processed 10 licence renewal applications and approved eight renewals. Beyond licensing, the MGA issued 2,043 permits for non-profit tombolas, 22 permits for non-profit lotteries and 118 certificates for commercial communication games.
The Authority completed 1,266 due diligence checks on authorised persons, qualifying shareholders, directors, key persons and funding parties. The Fit and Proper Committee reviewed 20 entities and 38 individuals, determining that seven cases did not meet the required standards.
The Supervisory Council approved 17 new licence applications and rejected two after the Minded Letter process found submitted information to be false, misleading, inaccurate or materially incomplete. It also approved all 10 licence renewal applications under review.
The MGA completed 15 full-scope compliance audits alongside 109 thematic reviews covering compliance, player protection and sports betting integrity. It resolved 3,718 player assistance requests, received 1,757 player funds reports and carried out 14 data extractions to help safeguard player funds.
The regulator also examined 109 URLs linked to suspected unregulated gaming activity. It identified 42 websites containing fraudulent references to the Authority or its licensees and added them to its public warning list.
Enforcement, AML and International Cooperation
The Commercial Communications Committee issued six decisions concerning possible breaches of the Gaming Commercial Communications Regulations.
The MGA and the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU) initiated 21 AML/CFT compliance examinations and concluded the same number during the year. Thirty closure letters followed completed examinations or remediation processes, while two potential breach letters notified licensees of possible AML/CFT shortcomings requiring further action. The FIAU imposed remediation measures or administrative penalties totalling just under €26,500.
The Authority also interviewed 29 prospective Money Laundering Reporting Officers and conducted 7,903 inspections across casinos, bingo halls, lottery outlets, controlled gaming premises and non-profit tombolas.
Enforcement action included 35 cease and desist letters, 22 warnings and 30 administrative penalties totalling €162,520. The MGA suspended one licence, cancelled two and reported that one appeal lodged during 2025 remains pending, while eight earlier appeals were withdrawn.
Internationally, the regulator received 280 suspicious betting reports, shared 192 alerts following risk-based filtering and participated in 66 investigations. It also handled 56 information requests with enforcement agencies, sports bodies and regulators, completed 85 data exchanges, received 66 cooperation requests from overseas regulators and submitted 12 of its own.
“The challenge facing regulators today is not to regulate more, but to regulate better.”, CEO Charles Mizzi said.
“Throughout 2025, we refined the way we regulate – strengthening our risk-based approach to oversight, improving engagement, streamlining processes, and making better use of data and technology to focus our efforts where they matter most. That is how we strengthen confidence in the Maltese licence, safeguard players, and support the long-term sustainability of Malta’s gaming sector.”
Source:
“MGA Annual Report 2025”, mga.org.mt. July 2026
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