Malta Gaming Authority Releases 2024 Annual Report and Financial Statements

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has published its Annual Report and audited Financial Statements for the financial year ending December 31, 2024. The report provides an in-depth analysis of Malta’s land-based and online gaming sectors, highlights the Authority’s key activities, and outlines regulatory developments over the past year.

Additionally, the report offers a medium-term outlook for the broader gaming industry, covering emerging trends, regulatory shifts, and market dynamics.

Supervisory Activity and Licensing

In 2024, the MGA:

• Received 28 gaming licence applications, issuing 17 new licences.
• Processed 12 licence renewal applications, granting eight renewals.
• Issued 1,812 permits for non-profit tombola, 19 permits for non-profit lottery, and 84 certificates for commercial communication games.

As part of its assessment process, the MGA carried out nearly 1,200 criminal probity screenings, ensuring compliance across both land-based and online gaming sectors.

The Supervisory Council reviewed 30 gaming licence applications, rejecting two for false, misleading, or incomplete submissions.

Regulatory Enforcement and Compliance Audits

Throughout 2024, the MGA:

• Conducted 13 compliance audits and 116 desktop reviews.
• Investigated 123 Technical Information Security Incidents reported by licensees.
• Issued 35 warnings, 25 administrative penalties totaling €306,250, and reached three regulatory settlements amounting to €61,522.
• Suspended two licences and revoked eight licences due to non-compliance.

AML/CFT Oversight and Financial Integrity

The MGA, in collaboration with the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU):

• Initiated 43 AML/CFT compliance examinations.
• Completed 60 investigations, issuing 11 closure letters to licensees.
• Imposed administrative penalties totaling nearly €185,000 on six operators for failing compliance standards.
• Conducted 37 interviews with prospective Money Laundering Reporting Officers (MLROs).

Player Protection and Responsible Gambling Initiatives

To promote responsible gambling, the MGA:

• Resolved 3,372 requests for assistance, including carryovers from 2023.
• Received 1,897 player funds reports and performed 27 data extractions.
• Conducted 40 responsible gambling website checks and issued 27 observation letters with compliance recommendations.
• Investigated 83 cases of misleading gambling-related websites, publishing 29 public notices to warn consumers.

The MGA also performed over 9,000 inspections across casinos, commercial bingo halls, National Lottery outlets, and non-profit gaming premises.

International Cooperation and Industry Integrity

Throughout 2024, the MGA collaborated extensively on betting integrity and enforcement:

• Received 244 suspicious betting reports and shared 247 alerts on fraudulent betting activities.
• Participated in 30 investigations across multiple jurisdictions.
• Processed 85 international cooperation requests from regulators, sending 30 requests to other authorities.
• Issued 59 official regulatory responses concerning its licensed operators.
• Partnered with local authorities on 161 requests for gaming-related information.

Reflecting on the Authority’s efforts, MGA CEO Charles Mizzi stated: “Resilience is not just about endurance – it’s about adapting with purpose and staying focused on what matters.”

“Over the past year, we improved how we work, strengthened our internal processes, and continued investing in the people and systems that support effective regulation.”