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The MGA publishes its 2021 Annual Report and Financial Statements

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The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA/Authority) is publishing its Annual Report and audited Financial Statements for the financial year ending 31 December 2021. The report provides an overview of the Authority’s achievements during the year under review and outlines the performance of the Maltese gaming industry during 2021, coupled with a medium-term outlook into the future. This is also followed by a detailed report explaining key statistics for the land-based and online gaming sectors.

  Supervisory Activities

  • 54 on-site compliance audits were conducted and 230 desktop reviews were carried out, accounting for 65.5% coverage of the licensees base during 2021, accompanied by additional AML/CFT compliance examinations that are carried out by the FIAU, or the MGA on its behalf. Following information which emerged from compliance audits, compliance reviews and formal investigations, the Authority issued 64 warnings and cancelled seven (7) licences. In addition, the MGA issued a total of 31 administrative penalties as well as three (3) regulatory settlements, with a collective total financial penalty of €176,016.
  • An additional 10 licensees were subject to enforcement measures by the FIAU, ranging from written reprimands to administrative penalties, based on the breaches identified during examinations carried out in previous years, including by the MGA. In total these amounted to just over €863,000.
  • 13 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. An additional three (3) applications were rejected by the Supervisory Council.
  • Over 1,150 criminal probity screening checks were undertaken on individuals., shareholders and ultimate beneficial owners, key persons and other employees, and companies from both the land-based and online gaming sectors.
  • The Authority continued with its commitment to supervise its online gaming licensees and conducted 91 interviews with prospective MLROs and key persons carrying out the AML/CFT function to determine the knowledge and suitability of each candidate.
  • The Commercial Communication Committee of the MGA issued a total of 21 letters of Breach, of which 13 operators were found to be in breach of the Commercial Communications Regulations, (S.L. 583.09).
  • In its efforts to protect players and encourage responsible gambling the Authority assisted a total of 6,170 players that requested assistance, covering most of the cases received during 2021 and the spill-over from 2020.
  • The MGA also investigated 79 cases of websites having misleading references to the Authority and published a total of 61 notices on its website with the aim to prevent the public from falling victim to such scams. Furthermore, an additional 26 responsible gambling website checks were conducted.
  • A sectoral risk assessment on money laundering and funding of terrorism-related risks affecting the land-based and online gaming sectors in Malta was undertaken.

Improvements in Efficiency and Effectiveness

  • With the aim of reducing any unnecessary bureaucracy on its licensees, the Authority has reviewed the Gaming Licence Application Process as well as launched the Personal Portfolio.
  • Improvements have been made in the way non-compliance matters are notified to the relevant licensee, and how operators are directed to rectify their position.
  • The MGA published amendments to the ‘Guidance on the use of Innovative Technology Arrangements and the acceptance of Virtual Financial Assets and Virtual Tokens through the implementation of a Sandbox Environment’.
  • Amendments to Article 22 of the Player Protection Directive (Directive 2 of 2018) were published, accompanied by a policy paper on ‘Amending the Return to Player Minimum Percentage’. Such amendments aim to streamline the minimum Return to Player percentage applicable to licensees across all sectors.
  • A series of amendments to the Gaming Authorisations and Compliance Directive (Directive 3 of 2018) were published, including the extension of the applicability of suspicious betting reporting requirements to B2B licensees as well as broader amendments to the key functions. The latter was accompanied by the introduction of the Key Function Eligibility Criteria Policy which outlines the requirements the persons holding the various key functions are expected to fulfil in order to satisfactorily perform these duties which are vital for the applicable regulatory outcomes.
  • A public consultation on the Applicability of the System and Compliance Audit Service Provider Guidelines to Financial Audit was issued with the aim of communicating and refining the proposal being put forward in relation to revised Guidelines and in order to promote a greater understanding of the proposal itself.
  • The Authority established a dedicated Business Transformation team, tasked with assisting each of the MGA’s directorates to continuously re-assess and improve processes, to increase efficiency and reduce administrative burdens on the MGA and industry alike, and to focus resources where these truly provide added value.

National and International Cooperation

  • A new alerting process was introduced vis-à-vis the sharing of knowledge on suspicious events that is reported with the whole industry without revealing the source of the information. Since its introduction, during the last quarter of 2021, a total of 72 alerts were sent to the industry, which resulted in a total of 20 new suspicious betting reports received via the Suspicious Betting Reporting Mechanism after such alerts were corresponded.
  • A total of 131 requests for information specifically relating to the manipulation of sports competitions or breaches in sports rules were submitted by enforcement agencies, sport governing bodies, integrity units, and other regulatory bodies. As a result of such requests, data was exchanged in 41 instances. Additionally, a total of 329 suspicious betting reports from licensees and other concerned parties were received.
  • During the period under review, the Authority was a direct participant in 20 different investigations across the globe relating to the manipulation of sports competitions or breaches in sports rules, as well as an indirect participant in 29 such investigations.
  • The Authority received a total of 89 international cooperation requests from other regulators and sent 75 such requests, with the majority referring to requests for background checks as part of an authorisation process.
  • A total of 125 letters of Good Standing were issued providing feedback on the regulatory good standing of our licenced operators to the relevant authorities asking for this information.
  • An International Affairs Strategy has been devised as one of the measures aimed at enhancing Malta’s international credibility, fostering collaborative relationships with targeted stakeholders and mitigating the risks that the gaming industry in Malta is facing.
  • In collaboration with the Malta Institute of Accountants two technical release notices were published, “Audit 02/21 Gaming Tax Payable and Levy on Gaming Devices” and “Audit 02/21 – Player Funds and Jackpot Funds”.
  • Through a joint collaboration between the Authority, the FIAU and the MFSA, a document was published providing an overview of the key findings of Business Risk Assessments carried out by subject persons as per their obligations under the PMLFTR and the FIAU’s Implementing Procedures.
  • A two-day workshop in collaboration with Bank of Valletta was organised, whereby various aspects of the control mechanisms as a Regulator were discussed.

In publishing this report, the CEO, Dr Carl Brincat said: “As an organisation, beyond continuing to ensure that we meet our day-to-day objectives, we used 2021 to start laying the groundwork for improvements that we will see in the months and years to come.  It is a priority for us to move towards leaner and more efficient processes, to remove unnecessary bureaucracy which introduces burdens on the industry without providing added value, and to become more effective in achieving our regulatory priorities.”

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iGP expands iGaming Deck portfolio with BGaming integration

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iGP, the full-service iGaming platform and aggregator provider, has added BGaming to its expanding content aggregator, iGaming Deck, in a move that further supports its commitment to scalable, player-focused content delivery.

The partnership brings BGaming’s creative portfolio of over 200 games to iGaming Deck’s rapidly growing content suite, which now offers operators access to more than 10,000 titles from 100+ providers via a single API integration.

Known for its engaging game mechanics, crypto-friendly features, and bold design style, BGaming’s catalogue includes slots, crash, casual games, and more, enhancing the depth and diversity of iGaming Deck’s already comprehensive offering.

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The partnership reflects iGP’s continued investment in delivering value to operators through smart aggregation, as it scales iGaming Deck with quality content and tools that support sustainable growth across markets, such as iGP’s fortune wheel builder, Twist of Luck, and jackpot offering designed to help operators drive deeper player interaction and elevate campaigns.

Jovana Popovic Canaki, CEO at iGP, said: “We are building iGaming Deck to be the most efficient and impactful aggregator solution in the market, and BGaming is a fantastic fit for that vision. Their crypto expertise, proven performance, and distinctive game style align perfectly with the demands of forward-thinking operators.”

Olga Levshina, Chief Commercial Officer at BGaming, said: “Joining the iGaming Deck platform is a great opportunity for BGaming to expand our reach and bring our games to a wider network of operators. iGP’s integration model is fast and reliable, and we’re confident this partnership will deliver strong results for both teams.”

The post iGP expands iGaming Deck portfolio with BGaming integration appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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REEVO Aggregator Grows Stronger as Spinomenal Joins In

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REEVO is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Spinomenal, one of the industry’s most innovative content providers, known for their visually stunning and feature-rich HTML5 video slots.

With a portfolio of over 300 cutting-edge games and a global footprint backed by licenses in Malta, Romania, Greece, the UK, New Jersey, and more, Spinomenal’s unique Universe Concept and commitment to player engagement make them a perfect fit for REEVO’s dynamic aggregation platform.

This collaboration will see Spinomenal’s high-performing titles integrated seamlessly into REEVO’s ever-growing ecosystem, enabling REEVO partners to access world-class content that drives player acquisition and retention across key regulated markets.

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Daniel Cuc, Head of Account Management at REEVO, commented: “Partnering with Spinomenal is a testament to our drive to continuously bring the best-in-class content to our partners. Their immersive gameplay, innovative features, and global recognition make them an ideal addition to the REEVO aggregation platform. We’re excited to offer our clients even more value through this collaboration, as we continue scaling our reach and impact across regulated markets.”

Yossi Shayovits, Head of Business Development at Spinomenal added: “Partnering with REEVO adds further momentum to Spinomenal’s strategic expansion globally, with the Belgian market forming a major element.”

This partnership reinforces REEVO’s mission to become the go-to aggregator for premium iGaming content, delivering speed, scalability, and standout experiences to operators and players alike.

Stay tuned as REEVO continues to onboard the industry’s most exciting studios—fueling our collective growth, one partnership at a time.

The post REEVO Aggregator Grows Stronger as Spinomenal Joins In appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Johnny Ortiz

ZITRO’S CONCEPT CABINET MAKES #1 DEBUT IN US EILERS-FANTINI REPORT

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Zitro continues to raise the bar in slot performance, with its CONCEPT cabinet debuting as the #1-ranking cabinet among US emerging suppliers in the July 2025 Eilers-Fantini Cabinet Performance Report.

This milestone underscores Zitro’s growing presence in the North American market and reflects strong operator demand for innovative form factors paired with high-performing content.

Further building on this momentum, Zitro’s latest title, Legendary Sword, has joined the Top Indexing NEW Games – Core, Video ranking, highlighting the company’s strength in delivering compelling game experiences that resonate with players.

“Our consistent focus on innovation and quality is what drives Zitro forward,” said Johnny Ortiz, Founder of Zitro. “This is a proud moment for us and every team member behind the CONCEPT cabinet. We’ve always believed our products could stand alongside the industry’s best — and seeing CONCEPT debut at #1 confirms that operators and players believe it too. And this is just the beginning of what we have in store for the market.”

The post ZITRO’S CONCEPT CABINET MAKES #1 DEBUT IN US EILERS-FANTINI REPORT appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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