The Malta Gaming Authority is publishing its Annual Report and audited Financial Statements for the financial year ending 31 December 2024. The report offers an in-depth overview of the performance of Malta’s land-based and online gaming sectors during 2024, while also highlighting the Authority’s key activities and regulatory developments over the past year. It also offers a medium-term outlook for the broader gaming industry, reflecting emerging trends, regulatory shifts, and the evolving market landscape.

Key Highlights from 2024

Supervisory Activity & Enforcement

• In 2024, we received 28 applications for new gaming licences and issued 17 licences. In addition, we received a further 12 gaming licence renewal applications from operators to renew their gaming licence that was bound to expire in 2024 and issued eight licence renewals.
• Low-risk games require a permit, which is valid only for a singular event and expires when the event is concluded. To this end, we issued 1,812 permits for non-profit tombola, 19 permits for non-profit lottery and 84 certificates for commercial communication games.
• As part of our process to assess applications, we carried out just under 1,200 criminal probity screening checks on authorised persons, persons holding qualifying interest, directors, key persons, and any third parties providing funding or exercising control over an authorised person in both the land-based and online gaming sectors. The Fit and Proper Committee made 64 decisions, 16 of which determined that the criteria to be considered as fit and proper were not met.
• The Supervisory Council reviewed 30 gaming licence applications, including new and renewal requests. Out of these, two applications were rejected on the grounds that information or submissions provided were false, misleading, inaccurate, or materially incomplete following the completion of the ‘Minded Letter’ process. One application remained in the ‘Minded to Refuse’ stage.
• In 2024, we concluded 13 compliance audits and 116 desktop reviews.
• We were notified by our licensees of 123 Technical Information Security Incidents, which we investigated to ensure that no licensed activity was adversely affected.
• The Commercial Communications Committee took seven decisions regarding possible breaches of the Gaming Commercial Communications Regulations.
• In 2024, we also issued 35 warnings, 25 administrative penalties amounting to €306,250 and reached three regulatory settlements amounting to €61,522. We also suspended two licences and cancelled eight.

AML/CFT Oversight

• 43 AML/CFT compliance examinations were initiated by the FIAU or by the MGA on its behalf.
• 60 examinations were concluded, and 11 closure letters were issued to licensees who either addressed the identified issues or where the findings from the compliance examinations were not deemed to be serious and/or systematic.
• The FIAU imposed remediation measures and/or administrative penalties on six licensees. The total administrative penalties issued amounted to just under €185,000.
• We conducted 37 interviews on prospective MLROs to ensure that candidates meet the required standards of knowledge and awareness of the Maltese AML/CFT legal framework.

Player Protection and Inspections

• As part of our efforts to safeguard players and promote responsible gambling, we resolved 3,372 requests for assistance (including spill-over from 2023).
• To continue safeguarding player funds, we received 1,897 player funds reports and carried out 27 data extractions during the reporting period.
• We conducted 40 responsible gambling-themed website checks and issued 27 observation letters outlining the issues and areas for improvement.
• We investigated 83 cases involving websites that published misleading information, and issued 29 public notices on our website.
• During the reporting period, we carried out just over 9,000 inspections on Gaming Premises (including casinos and commercial bingo halls), Controlled Gaming Premises, National Lottery Outlets including National Lottery Outlets – Controlled Gaming Premises, and Non-Profit Tombola.

National and International Cooperation

• In 2024, we received 244 suspicious betting reports from licensees and shared 247 alerts on suspicious betting. We participated in 30 investigations across different jurisdictions.
• We collaborated with enforcement agencies, sports governing bodies, integrity units, and regulatory authorities on 31 requests for information and participated in 39 data exchanges.
• We received 85 requests for international collaboration from other regulators and sent 30 such requests ourselves. Most of the requests received were generic requests for cooperation or requests for background checks as part of authorisations processes.
• We issued 59 official replies to provide feedback on the regulatory standing of our licensed operators to the relevant authorities requesting this information.
• We collaborated with local regulating authorities and governing bodies on 161 requests for information.

“Resilience is not just about endurance – it’s about adapting with purpose and staying focused on what matters,” CEO Charles Mizzi said.

“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. As the sector continues to evolve, the MGA remains committed to anticipating challenges, adapting with purpose, and upholding the standards that define Malta’s reputation as a trusted jurisdiction.”

Access the full Annual Report here.