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The MGA Publishes its 2019 Annual Report and Financial Statements

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The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA/Authority) is publishing its Annual Report and Financial Statements for the financial year ending 31 December 2019, providing an overview of the work performed throughout the year by the Authority. In addition, the report also includes a summary of the performance of the Maltese gaming industry during 2019 and an outlook for the medium-term future.

The following are the key highlights from the Annual Report covering the year 2019:

  • The Authority cancelled 14 licences and suspended 11. In addition, it issued 20 warnings, 89 Notices of Breach and 23 administrative fines imposed on operators following various regulatory breaches;
  • 89 applications for a gaming licence were received in 2019; 44 applications were either rejected or withdrawn and 53 licences were issued during the period under review, including licences the application for which had been received during the previous year;
  • 15 individuals and companies were deemed not to be up to the Authority’s probity standards by the Fit & Proper Committee, mainly on the basis of mitigating the risks of money laundering or funding of terrorism;
  • 48 audits were conducted by the Compliance and AML function;
  • 69 international cooperation requests were sent by the MGA in 2019, predominantly as part of the criminal probity assessments, with the Authority receiving 58 international co-operation requests;
  • 1,300 criminal probity screening assessments were carried out in 2019;
  • The Authority revised its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit, and also signed an MOU with the Malta Police Force, aimed at strengthening the fight again corruption and money laundering;
  • As at the end of December 2019, the number of companies licensed by the MGA, including both online and land-based entities, stood at 294.

In publishing this report, Heathcliff Farrugia, Chief Executive Officer of the Malta Gaming Authority, stated that: “Overall, 2019 was a very challenging but at the same time rewarding year for the MGA. The increased focus on compliance and enforcement which was prevalent throughout the year has yielded tangible results for the Authority.

This focus led to internal restructuring for the better achievement of the MGA’s objectives, and was also pivotal in the Authority’s drive towards the setting up of the Sports Integrity Unit, tasked with increasing the commitment towards the fight against the manipulation of sports competitions. In its first months, this unit has already signed important collaboration agreements with international sport bodies in order to tackle betting-related corruption and ensure the integrity of sports.

Such collaboration, both at a local and international level was high on the agenda in 2019, and will continue being crucial in 2020, as a key determining factor in the ongoing fight against crime, corruption and money laundering.”

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Vegangster Partners with Citron to Power Crypto Payments and Analytics

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Vegangster and Citron have partnered to power the crypto payments and analytics layer of Vegangster’s crypto casino solution.

Citron brings deep credibility to the partnership, having processed billions in crypto transactions for 100+ clients across 50+ countries.

Citron Processing, an AI-powered crypto payment solution, lets operators take deposits and pay out winnings on-chain in an instant, with every transaction screened through Chainalysis and incoming funds converted to stablecoins to keep things clean and free of volatility, all at sub-1% fees.

Citron Analytics, the first AI analytics for on-chain client and market intelligence, gives operators full visibility into their players, competitors, and market beyond what any platform data can show.

Powered by Citron AI, it reads live blockchain data to deliver client profiling, real-time alerts when players deposit, win, or start playing elsewhere, graph-based fraud detection, and competitive intelligence, including rival casinos’ volumes and market share, all through a live dashboard and conversational AI interface.

“For the first time, our operators can see how players spend across other casinos, not just their own platform. We are already integrating this information into platform PAM, automation tools, allowing customer support, VIP teams to react in real time to changes and increase retention rates.”

Michael Oziransky

Chief Product Officer at Vegangster

“On-chain data reveals knowledge and opportunities iGaming operators never had before. Citron’s partnership with Vegangster brings one of the most efficient iGaming platforms together with the industry’s powerful crypto intelligence tool – everything operators need for success”.

Artsemi Karpovich

Head of Sales at Citron

Together, the two products give operators using the Vegangster Crypto Casino solution both the payment infrastructure and the intelligence layer to acquire smarter, retain longer, and operate with full visibility into their market.

About Citron

Citron is an AI-powered crypto processing and analytics platform. Citron Analytics, the first AI analytics for on-chain client and market intelligence, reads live blockchain data to help businesses understand client behaviour, detect fraud, analyse competitors, and make real-time data-driven decisions.

Citron Processing delivers an intelligent crypto payment infrastructure with 12+ cryptocurrencies, sub-1% fees, and Chainalysis integration. Citron is dedicated to making blockchain and its data accessible and actionable for every business in the crypto economy.

About Vegangster

Vegangster provides a full iGaming platform built for speed, scale, and operator control. Its turnkey, white-label, and sweepstakes solutions bring casino and sportsbook content, payments, CRM, compliance, and social features together into a single mobile-first system. With Vegangster, operators can launch quickly and grow with confidence.

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Romans Kozlovskis

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SEOBROTHERS’ Aleksandra Drigo flags higher barriers for affiliates in regulated Alberta

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SEOBROTHERS Chief of Business Development Aleksandra Drigo says Alberta’s move toward a regulated online gambling market is likely to raise the cost and complexity of affiliate acquisition, reshaping competition for SEO-led publishers. Drigo shared the view in an exclusive interview with SiGMA News focused on Canada’s affiliate landscape.

Drigo said regulation can bring more transparency, but also higher compliance demands and tougher economics for smaller players. “Many affiliates, especially independent SEO players, may decide not to enter fully regulated markets and instead focus on regions with more predictable economics and lower regulatory pressure,” she said.

She added that regulated markets typically advantage well-funded affiliate groups with the ability to invest in legal and compliance support and tracking infrastructure. “Regulated markets tend to favour larger players. Big affiliate companies have the resources for legal support, compliance teams, advanced tracking infrastructure, and long-term investment without expecting fast ROI.”

On partner selection, Drigo said affiliates are increasingly weighing operators on operational quality and regulatory readiness, not just commercial terms. “We pay close attention to how consistent an operator is in terms of reporting, responsible gaming policies, speed of communication, and local regulations compliance. Reputation risks affect both sides. If an operator lacks transparency or fails to follow compliance standards, it directly impacts the affiliate business as well.”

Drigo also pointed to communication and access to performance data as major friction points in operator-affiliate relationships. “Financial disagreements can usually be resolved quickly if there is trust and clear communication between both sides. Whereas, when affiliates do not receive timely information, face unclear reporting, or get no explanation for performance changes, tensions escalate very quickly. In regulated markets, communication and transparency become just as important as the financial terms themselves.”

Looking ahead, Drigo said affiliates targeting regulated North American markets will need stronger localisation, trusted brands and more diversified traffic strategies as search behaviour changes. “With AI and online search ecosystem changes already transforming the SEO landscape, affiliates need to become much more flexible and technology-driven than before. And compliance-friendly SEO strategies and diversification beyond traditional search traffic are becoming increasingly important.”

The post SEOBROTHERS’ Aleksandra Drigo flags higher barriers for affiliates in regulated Alberta appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Sparta Prague extends Betano principal partnership through 2029

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AC Sparta Praha has extended its principal partnership with Betano through 30 June 2029. Betano, Kaizen Gaming’s online betting and gaming brand, has held principal partner status since 2023 and will continue to feature on the shirts of Sparta’s men’s A-team, B-team and first women’s team.

Tomáš Křivda, CEO of AC Sparta Praha, said: “The three-year partnership with Betano has brought benefits to both sides, and I am very glad that it will continue. Sparta is a brand with weight and reach in Czech sport, and the partnership reflects that. Together we are setting the standard in Czech sport for what such a relationship should look like. It does not stop at a logo on the shirts. Together we have prepared a range of activations for fans, offered them attractive competitions and experiences, and opened up topics beyond the pitch as well, such as stadium accessibility. All with a clear focus on the fan. It works because we are pursuing the same goal. Extending it for another three seasons is therefore a logical step, and I believe we will build well on the work we have started”.

The clubs said the renewal follows joint activations including the “Million Kick” halftime competition, which has awarded two prizes of one million CZK over the first three seasons of the partnership. The companies also pointed to international-facing collaborations involving first-team players and representatives of Aston Villa F.C. and Club de Regatas do Flamengo.

Julio Iglesias Hernando, Chief Commercial Officer at Kaizen Gaming, said: “We are truly delighted to extend our partnership with AC Sparta Praha until 2029. Over the past three years, we have built a profound relationship founded on mutual trust and a shared pursuit of excellence. This renewal reinforces our commitment to Czech sport and its fans, aligning perfectly with our global strategy of partnering with elite sporting institutions that represent the very best the international stage has to offer. At the same time, we remain dedicated to shaping a safe, reliable and responsible gaming environment for everyone”.

Sparta and Betano said upcoming seasons will include an “enhanced Betano Million Kick” and additional fan formats, while the Betano Game prediction contest, draws for places in the Betano Zone, match streams and other benefits will continue. The partners also highlighted ongoing CSR work focused on stadium accessibility and inclusivity at the epet Arena, including audio navigation beacons, expanded wheelchair platforms, stadium tours for fans with visual or hearing impairments and audio-descriptive commentary, as part of Sparta’s stated aim to become “only the second football club in the world to receive the Access Champions certification.”

The post Sparta Prague extends Betano principal partnership through 2029 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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