Compliance Updates

The MGA Issues Interim Performance Report for January – June 2022

Published

3 years ago

January 10, 2023

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Malta Gaming Authority has released its Interim Performance Report for the period between January to June 2022. A review of the Authority’s accomplishments for the first half of 2022 is provided in the report, together with a description of the Maltese gaming industry’s performance over the same period. The latter provides a medium-term outlook towards the future, as well as an analysis outlining important statistics for the land-based and online gaming industries.

Supervisory Activities

During this period, 16 compliance audits were conducted together with 114 desktop reviews, accompanied by an additional seven AML/CFT compliance examinations that were initiated by the MGA on behalf of the FIAU. Additionally, the Authority issues a warning, cancelled a licence, as well as suspended another authorised entity, following information which emerged from compliance audits, compliance reviews and formal investigations Furthermore, the MGA issued a total of seven administrative penalties as well as two regulatory settlements, with a collective total financial penalty of €85,000.
Enforcement measures were also issued by the FIAU to an additional four licensees, ranging from written reprimands to administrative penalties, with an emphasis on remediation measures, based on the breaches identified during examinations carried out in previous years, including by the MGA. In total, these amounted to just over €386,567.
Based primarily on reducing the risk of money laundering or funding terrorism, the Fit & Proper Committee determined that four individuals and entities did not meet the Authority’s fit and properness criteria, while an additional two applications were rejected by the Supervisory Council.
A total of 626 criminal probity screening checks were undertaken on personnel, shareholders, ultimate beneficial owners, key individuals, employees, and businesses from the land-based and online gambling sectors.
In the first half of the year, 22 interviews with prospective money laundering reporting officers (MLROs) and key persons carrying out the AML/CFT function were carried out, with the aim of determining the knowledge and suitability of each candidate.
A total of six letters of breach were issued by the MGA’s Commercial Communications Committee (S.L. 583.09), out of which five operators were deemed to have violated the Commercial Communications Regulations.
In its efforts to safeguard players and promote responsible gaming, the Authority assisted a total of 2,578 players who requested assistance, covering the majority of the cases received during 2022 and the spillover from 2021.
A total of 22 cases of websites having misleading references to the Authority were investigated, while a total of 13 notices were published on the MGA’s website with the aim of preventing the public from falling victim to such scams. Furthermore, an additional 18 responsible gambling website checks were conducted, and five observation letters were issued.

National and International Cooperation

Between January and June 2022, a total of 122 alerts on suspicious betting were sent to the industry. Following correspondence of these alerts, the Suspicious Betting Reporting Mechanism received a total of 16 new suspicious betting reports.
Enforcement agencies, sports governing bodies, integrity units, and other regulatory authorities made a total of 23 requests for information, specifically in relation to the manipulation of sporting events or violations of sporting regulations. Subsequently, 10 of these requests resulted in the exchange of data. In addition, 278 allegations of suspicious betting from licensees and other interested parties were received.
The Authority participated directly in 12 separate investigations into sports rules violations or manipulation of sporting competitions during the time under review. In addition, the Authority also participated indirectly in another investigation.
The Authority sent 64 requests for international cooperation, the majority of which related to requests for background checks as part of an authorisation process. Furthermore, the Authority received a total of 36 requests for international collaboration from other regulators.
Up to the end of June 2022, a total of 84 official replies were issued, providing feedback on the regulatory good standing of our licensed operators to the relevant authorities asking for this information.
In total, during the first six months of the year, the MGA received just over 100 requests for information from other local regulating authorities and governing bodies.

The MGA will publish a full-year industry performance report during the second half of 2023, when it publishes its Annual Report for the financial year ending 31 December 2022.

Compliance Updates

ELA Games scales up its presence in Europe by certifying a suite of 9 hit games in 5 key markets

Published

10 hours ago

April 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

ela-games-scales-up-its-presence-in-europe-by-certifying-a-suite-of-9-hit-games-in-5-key-markets

ELA Games is accelerating its European expansion strategy after securing certifications for nine of its top-performing titles across five major regulated markets: Sweden, Denmark, Greece, Romania, and Malta.

This latest milestone enables operators in these regions to access a diverse portfolio of proven games, featuring award-nominated mechanics and modern takes on classic casino experiences.

A Balanced Portfolio for Local Markets

With a strong focus on localisation, ELA Games has curated a selection designed to resonate with varied player preferences across Europe. The newly certified lineup is built around three core pillars:

High-Performing Hits: Titles such as Buffalo Force, Piñatas Festival, and Riches Express have delivered strong GGR growth and demonstrated high player engagement in competitive markets.
Innovative Mechanics: The rollout introduces ELA Games’ Winpot feature to new jurisdictions. This mechanic, which allows players to control their cash-out strategy, is now available through titles like Zeus Winpot and Rabbit Winpot Deluxe.
Modernised Classics: Games such as Juicy Crystal and Noble Crown bring updated visuals and smooth gameplay to traditional slot formats, appealing to players who prefer familiar mechanics with a modern twist.

Market Availability

The certified titles are now live across multiple operator platforms, with game selections varying by jurisdiction:

Sweden: Betinia, Swiper, CampoBet, QuickCasino
Denmark: Betinia, CampoBet, Swiper, Betoro
Romania: Don.ro, TopBet, Swiper
Greece: ElaBet

Strengthening European Partnerships

These certifications build on ELA Games’ growing presence across Europe, supported by strategic partnerships with leading operators. The company has recently expanded in Denmark through a notable collaboration with Stake.dk, alongside integrations with Danske Licens Spil (Tivoli Casino), RoyalCasino, and Casino House.

Further expansion has been driven by partnerships with major industry players such as Betsson, as well as regulatory approval from the Hellenic Gaming Commission in Greece.

With a steadily growing footprint and a portfolio tailored for regulated markets, ELA Games is well positioned to capture additional market share and deliver strong returns for its partners across Europe.

The post ELA Games scales up its presence in Europe by certifying a suite of 9 hit games in 5 key markets appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Anjouan B2B licence

VeliGames secures Anjouan B2B licence to expand operator reach

Published

15 hours ago

April 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

veligames-secures-anjouan-b2b-licence-to-expand-operator-reach

VeliGames, the game aggregation platform by VeliTech, has secured an Anjouan B2B licence, marking a major step in its international expansion. The new licence allows VeliGames to provide its portfolio of in-house and third-party content to Anjouan-licensed iGaming operators, opening doors to a wider network of partners.

For operators, the licence provides confidence and regulatory assurance when selecting a content provider, while simplifying the onboarding process and accelerating access to VeliGames’ extensive catalogue.

Irakli Kakhidze, CEO of VeliGames, said: “Securing the Anjouan B2B licence is a key milestone in our global growth strategy. It strengthens our position as a trusted aggregation partner and enables us to collaborate with more licensed operators, supporting faster content delivery and smoother integration.”

Recently recognized as an Industry Rising Star at SiGMA Africa 2026, VeliGames continues to expand its reach across emerging markets including Africa, Asia, and LATAM. The company combines exclusive in-house titles with a growing library of third-party games, providing operators with a diverse and scalable content offering.

The Anjouan licence is part of VeliGames’ broader strategy to grow its international footprint while maintaining a strong focus on regulatory compliance, technology reliability, and long-term industry partnerships.

The post VeliGames secures Anjouan B2B licence to expand operator reach appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Central Register for Exclusion from Gambling

KSA Publishes Studies and Provides Guidance on the Duty of Care

Published

6 days ago

April 2, 2026

Wladimir P.

ksa-publishes-studies-and-provides-guidance-on-the-duty-of-care

The Dutch Gambling Regulator (KSA) has published two studies and provided additional guidance on the fulfillment of the duty of care by online gambling licensees. The documents provide insight into practice and offer clarification on personal interviews and the submission of notifications for registration in the Central Register for Exclusion from Gambling (Cruks).

The KSA conducted research into these topics in 2025. The results were discussed in December 2025 during a roundtable discussion with license holders. During this discussion, practical experiences and bottlenecks were gathered. Based on this, the KSA has drawn up guidelines to provide more clarity regarding implementation.

Personal maintenance

The personal interview is a far-reaching intervention that license holders are required to implement when there is a suspicion of excessive gambling behaviour or gambling addiction. Research shows that license holders implement this differently and encounter bottlenecks, such as a low response rate from players. The guidance explains, among other things, the timing of the intervention, the form of contact and the content of the conversation. In doing so, room remains for customisation and professional judgment.

Notices

If a license holder observes serious signs of problematic gambling behaviour or suspects a gambling addiction, the player must be advised to register with Cruks. If the player does not follow this advice, the license holder must report this to the KSA (a notification). The KSA may subsequently decide to involuntarily register the player in Cruks.

The research shows that license holders apply this measure differently and that there are questions in practice regarding its implementation. For example, it is difficult for the license holder to verify whether a player has actually registered, and it is not always clear when a notification must be submitted.

The guidance provides practical explanation regarding this, including the timing of reporting and the information required.

Guidelines

The guidelines do not contain new rules, but provide further explanation regarding the application of existing obligations. This gives permit holders more clarity regarding the fulfillment of their duty of care.

The post KSA Publishes Studies and Provides Guidance on the Duty of Care appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.