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.

ADM

Swintt games go live in Italy after receiving ADM certification

Published

1 day ago

November 7, 2025

George Miller

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

Rapidly-expanding software provider enters its 13^th regulated market following Italian regulator’s approval of Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt titles

Having previously outlined its intentions to enter more regulated markets throughout 2025, sought-after software provider Swintt has announced that it has now officially been greenlit by Italy’s Agencia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) to offer its slots in the country.

The new certification has initially been granted for Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt titles, and though further approval is planned for both SwinttPremium and SwinttSelect releases in the not-too-distant future, the provider has already put pen to paper with two of Italy’s leading operators.

Launched in 2024 following Swintt’s acquisition of Elysium Studios, Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt is a cutting-edge collection of releases that incorporates elements of social, mobile and casino gaming to deliver a more engaging experience that’s custom-made for the modern player.

Featuring inventive themes, innovative features and intuitive, mobile-first game mechanics, some of the biggest hits to come from the collaboration to date include the quirky, folk lore-inspired I Hate Fairytales and the swashbuckling skull and bones epic, Pirate Pledge Hold & Win.

Given both titles boast a cast of characters that includes everything from punk rock princesses to salty sea dogs and a huge selection of rewarding bonus rounds, the two games and many more from the Elysium Studios line-up are certain to prove a popular addition among Italian audiences.

With Swintt’s successful acquisition of ADM certification now paving the way for the provider to enter its 13^th regulated market, the decision will significantly expand the company’s European footprint and enable it to form further partnerships with Italian operators in the months to come.

David Mann, Chief Executive Officer at Swintt, said: “At Swintt, our focus has always been on ensuring that our content gets put in front of players in as many regulated markets as possible – and acquiring ADM approval to offer our games in Italy is another significant step on this journey.

“As an established iGaming market with a huge emerging player base, we feel our Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt line-up can make a big impact in the region and we look forward to being able to roll out our other core line-ups very soon.”

The post Swintt games go live in Italy after receiving ADM certification appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

AB Svenska Spel

Spelinspektionen Launches Supervision of AB Svenska Spel’s Gaming Venues

Published

3 days ago

November 5, 2025

Niji Narayan

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Reading Time: < 1 minute

The Swedish Gambling Authority has launched supervision of AB Svenska Spel’s gaming venues. The supervision covers turnover and the placement of slot machines.

This is the latest step in Spelinspektionen’s push to keep Sweden’s gambling sector in check and make sure companies meet the standards laid out in the Swedish Gambling Act.

When the review is complete, Spelinspektionen will publish the results.

The post Spelinspektionen Launches Supervision of AB Svenska Spel’s Gaming Venues appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Compliance Updates

Turkish Football Federation Suspends 149 Referees and Assistants After Betting Probe

Published

4 days ago

November 4, 2025

Niji Narayan

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Reading Time: < 1 minute

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has suspended 149 referees and assistant referees after an investigation found hundreds of professional match officials in the country had betting accounts.

Bans ranging from eight to 12 months, based on the severity of the act, have been imposed for involvement in betting activity, with investigations into three other officials still ongoing.

The full list of the penalised officials was published on the TFF website.

Last week, it was revealed a five-year probe had found 371 of 571 match officials have betting accounts, with 152 of those actively gambling.

While some had only bet once, 42 had bet on more than 1000 football matches – with one official found to have placed 18,227 bets.

Like players and coaches, match officials are forbidden from participating in betting activities by TFF disciplinary regulations, as well as those of world governing body Fifa and European governing body Uefa.

“There is a moral crisis in Turkish football. There is no such thing as structure. The fundamental problem at the core of Turkish football is an ethical one,” TFF president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu said.

“Ask any referee, if there is even one who has not received his pay, I will resign as federation president. In fact, we improved their salaries last year, and again this year.”

No further details of the cases or ongoing investigations were provided.

After the investigation’s findings were announced, a number of Turkey’s top clubs responded.

Besiktas said it “could mark a new beginning for clean football” while Trabzonspor called the development “an historic opportunity to rebuild justice in Turkish football”.

Fenerbahce president Sadettin Saran said: “This is both shocking and deeply saddening for Turkish football.

“But the fact that it is coming to light is a hopeful development.”

The post Turkish Football Federation Suspends 149 Referees and Assistants After Betting Probe appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.