The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has released the results of its 2025 Thematic Review examining how online B2C licensees implement self-exclusion mechanisms and broader responsible gambling safeguards. The review aimed to identify potential systemic weaknesses, clarify regulatory expectations, and highlight both strong practices and areas requiring enhancement in player protection frameworks.

Launched following reports that certain self-excluded players were still able to access multiple brands, the assessment evaluated the real-world effectiveness of player protection tools across 20 licensees and 58 active URLs. A comprehensive mystery shopping exercise tested self-exclusion procedures, cross-brand account controls, and the visibility and accessibility of responsible gambling tools at key stages of the customer journey.

Overall, the findings indicate a generally positive level of compliance, with most licensees demonstrating practices aligned with current regulatory standards. However, the review also identified specific areas where improvements are necessary to ensure responsible gambling measures function as intended.

Key issues highlighted include delays in activating self-exclusion requests, instances where exclusions were lifted without applying mandatory cooling-off periods, difficulties in identifying duplicate or closely matching player accounts across brands, the absence of limit-setting prompts during registration, and incomplete information within Reality Check pop-ups.

The MGA has formally communicated its findings to the affected licensees, requesting rectification plans and corrective action timelines. Ongoing supervisory engagement will monitor implementation progress as part of the Authority’s broader risk-based oversight strategy, designed to promote consistent and high standards of player protection throughout the online gaming sector.

Through the accompanying guidance document, the regulator encourages all licensees to leverage the insights from the review to strengthen internal compliance frameworks, enhance responsible gambling controls, and contribute to a safer, more sustainable gaming environment.