Best Casinos with Malta Gaming Authority licence (MGA)

History of The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)

The Malta Gaming Authority is the official legislative body that governs all Maltese online gambling operations, and have done so since 2001. Formarly known as the Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LGA), LGA was one of the first organizations to start regulating online gambling activities. It started off as a much simpler legislation back then, through the Lotteries and Other Games Act (2001). The Gambling Act was the first of many laws and regulations to come to control online gambling activities, this has since been improved and enhanced many times over the next twenty years. It was not until 2015 that LGA changed their name to MGA, or the Malta Gaming Authority. Today MGA is one of the most reputable and well trusted licenses for online gambling.

Currently in 2022, Malta Gaming Authority is the official regulator of almost all forms of gambling activities in Malta. Malta Gaming Authority regulates both land based casinos and gambling establishments, as well as online betting operators and online casinos. Some of the key parts that MGA regulates are: Video Slots, Live Casino, Bingo, Poker, Sports Betting, Virtual Sports, as well as offering both B2B and B2C services. If you want to learn more about what the Malta Gaming Authority is, and what they do, we recommend you keep on reading.

What The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) is responsible to do

The MGA does many things to protect players that play at MGA licensed online casinos or sports books. Here are some of the key points that the legislator focuses on, aligned with their strict Gambling Act:

• Protection of Underage people
• Licensing of Online betting operators
• Monitoring of Operators that hold the MGA license
• Ensuring that all games are fair and reliable
• Protection of players (including their account balances)
• Advocating Responsible Gambling
• Ensuring that Gambling activities have a positive impact on Malta and Maltese people

MGA Casinos – MGA licensing requirements to obtain a gambling license

Malta’s gaming license is undoubtedly one of the most reputable gambling licenses our there, and they have strict requirements from the casinos and other gambling institutions that want to obtain and maintain a gambling license. There is no easy way to obtain a Maltese gaming license, and the first thing that an operator must do is to present a clear business plan. This business plan must contain how the operator will conduct their business, what markets they are planning to target, what services the operator is going to supply, detailed balance sheet of their finances, clear budgets and forecasts of how they are planning to operate for at least 5 years, and much more.

MGA or LGA as it was originally called, was primarily established to ensure players’ safety, and all online casinos or gambling operators must adhere to the authorities legislation. Not only must these rules be obeyed to obtain the license, but also to be able to maintain it, once the license has been granted. Even for employees of a licensed MGA casino, there are specific requirements, for example that they can not have any criminal record or history of fraud or financial crime. MGA also demands a clear list of all the employees, both during the application process, and then again on a bi-annually basis while the operator holds the license. There is also a fee that the casino or gambling operator have to pay on a yearly basis, that is set to €25,000 per year. There is also a 5% income tax with the MGA, which is paid annually. We have made a list of the basic requirements to even be able to apply for the MGA license:

• Documents to prove that owners of the company don’t have a criminal background
• Notarized copies of passport(s)
• Bank references from owners
• Notarized copies of utility bills
• Fully detailed business plan
• Details of gaming software platforms and systems used
• Hosting of gambling operations must stay in Malta
• Fixed annual license fees of 25 000 EUR per year
• Pay additional license fees based on the casino’s annual gross gaming revenue and its licenses held. Meaning that if a an online casino holds a type 1 and type 2 license, also offering sportsbook, the yearly fee is €50,000 instead of €25,000.

The different licenses that Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) offers

There are in general four different license classes that the MGA offers to gambling operators and game providers.

Class 1: Includes games available in typical gaming establishments (video slots, casino games, blackjack, baccarat, etc.), skill-based games, and lotteries. A Class 1 licensee will be responsible for the risks associated with repetitive games.

Class 2: Betting operator needs this license to provide games with fixed odds to players. A Class 2 gambling operator is responsible for the risks associated with matchbook betting.

Class 3: A gambling operator will need this license to offer peer-to-peer, bet exchange, and poker network games to players. A Class 3 operator takes a percentage-based commission for promoting betting games.

Class 4: A licensee with Class 4 MGA license is able to host and govern online gaming operators but cannot itself function as a gambling operator. Class 4 licensees are typically software and game providers.

Payment options for deposits and withdrawals with MGA Casinos

One of the most important things when gambling for you as a player is how well the payment methods are working. The great thing about MGA licensed casinos is that they are holding a strong license, which means that payment service providers are willing to work with them. Some of the most popular payment options for MGA licensed online casinos are: E-wallets like Skrill and Neteller, Pay and Play options like Trustly, Credit Cards like Visa and Mastercard, as well as bank transfers and a multitude of other options. You can read more about payment methods and options for MGA licensed casinos here.