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The MGA Publishes its 2019 Annual Report and Financial Statements

Published

6 years ago

June 23, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

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89 applications for a gaming licence were received in 2019; 44 applications were either rejected or withdrawn and 53 licences were issued during the period under review, including licences the application for which had been received during the previous year;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.”

eSports

PUBG MOBILE confirms 31 teams for Esports Nations Cup 2026 in Riyadh

Published

6 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

pubg-mobile-confirms-31-teams-for-esports-nations-cup-2026-in-riyadh

124 countries and territories registered for selection; the 32nd “Solidarity” Wildcard slot is still to be confirmed.

PUBG MOBILE has confirmed 31 of the 32 national teams for PUBG MOBILE at the Esports Nations Cup 2026, scheduled for November 3-8 in Riyadh. The publisher said 124 countries and territories registered and submitted official rosters for the selection process. The event will play for a $1.32 million USD prize pool.

The confirmed lineup includes 14 teams advancing from nine regional qualifiers: Indonesia, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Jordan, KSA, France, Italy, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Mauritania and Madagascar.

A further 12 teams are invited via ENC Rankings: Türkiye, Mongolia, Brazil, Pakistan, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Nepal, South Africa, United States, Ukraine and Argentina. Four Special Invite teams—China, South Korea, India and Japan—also join the Group Stage.

Two Wildcard slots are listed: Kuwait as the Host Region representative, and one “TBD (Solidarity)” team still to be confirmed. From November 3, teams will be split into four groups of eight for a round-robin Group Stage, with the top four from each group advancing to the Grand Finals.

The Esports Nations Cup was announced in August 2025 as a multi-title national-team competition, with future international iterations planned, according to the company. PUBG MOBILE also claimed it is the “#1 game title at the Esports Nations Cup in terms of participating countries and territories,” citing the 124 registered countries and territories for its selection process.

The post PUBG MOBILE confirms 31 teams for Esports Nations Cup 2026 in Riyadh appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Canada

Tonybet player in Canada claims $20,000 CAD golden World Cup card prize

Published

14 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

tonybet-player-in-canada-claims-$20,000-cad-golden-world-cup-card-prize

Tonybet says a player in Laurier-Station, Canada has claimed the “golden card” prize worth $20,000 CAD in the operator’s World Cup Card Collection. The announcement was made Tuesday 21st July 2026.

The World Cup collection featured 51 cards in total, including 48 digital cards representing participating World Cup nations, plus three unique prize cards in bronze, silver and gold. Tonybet said the bronze card—available during the group stage—was previously found by a customer in Saint-Colomban, Canada, while the silver card—available during the knockout rounds up to the quarter-finals—was won by a player in County Kildare, Ireland.

The golden card became available for the semi-final, third-place play-off and final, and has now been claimed, Tonybet said.

Tonybet Head of Product Kiryl Liudvikevich said: “You can plan a campaign down to the last detail, but you can’t plan what the World Cup brings.

“We designed the collection to evolve with the tournament, and every knockout round created new stories we couldn’t have predicted. Seeing players complete their collections and discovering who would uncover each prize was the most rewarding part of the campaign.

“I hope everyone enjoyed the experience for what it was meant to be: a fun addition to the tournament, played responsibly and always within their limits.”

Tonybet said the collection will remain open until 31 July for players who are still completing sets and spending coins, although all grand prizes have been awarded.

The post Tonybet player in Canada claims $20,000 CAD golden World Cup card prize appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Canada

Tonybet player in Canada claims $20,000 CAD golden World Cup card prize

Published

14 hours ago

July 21, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

The golden card became available for the semi-final, third-place play-off and final, and has now been claimed, Tonybet said.

Tonybet Head of Product Kiryl Liudvikevich said: “You can plan a campaign down to the last detail, but you can’t plan what the World Cup brings.

“I hope everyone enjoyed the experience for what it was meant to be: a fun addition to the tournament, played responsibly and always within their limits.”

Tonybet said the collection will remain open until 31 July for players who are still completing sets and spending coins, although all grand prizes have been awarded.

The post Tonybet player in Canada claims $20,000 CAD golden World Cup card prize appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.