MGA issues Closed Consultation regarding amendments to Player Protection Directive

The Malta Gaming Authority has launched a closed consultation with its licensees regarding its proposed amendments to the Player Protection Directive (Directive 2 of 2018) (the ‘Directive’). The amendments are aimed to strengthen and clarify the current player protection framework. This framework will support the Authority’s initiatives moving forward and shall facilitate the Authority’s plans to continuously improve the player protection framework, including the eventual publication of detailed player protection guidelines for Licensees. The Authority is in the process of conducting detailed research and garnering expert experience to serve as the foundation for the eventual publication of such guidelines.

As a first step, the amendments being proposed that are subject to the ongoing closed consultation delve into, inter alia, the licensees’ obligations regarding their responsible gaming policies and procedures and the introduction of five (5) markers of harm that must be considered by licensees when determining effective measures and processes to detect and address problem gambling. Provisions relating to real-money reinforcement and staff training have also been included in the proposed amendments.

The amendments are being proposed on the basis of a review of the key sections of the Directive carried out by an expert in the field, and on the basis of the Authority’s own research and experience garnered through the Responsible Gaming Unit’s audits and familiarisation visits.

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The ongoing consultation shall give the opportunity to licensees to provide their feedback, if any, regarding the proposed amendments. The consultation period shall run until the 14^th October 2022.