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The MGA publishes its 2022 Annual Report and Financial Statements
The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA/Authority) is publishing its Annual Report and audited Financial Statements for the financial year ending 31 December 2022. In addition to outlining the performance of the Maltese gaming business in 2022, the report gives a broad summary of the Authority’s accomplishments during the year under review and offers a medium-term outlook for the future. A thorough report outlining key statistics for the land-based and online gaming industries is then presented.
Supervisory Activities
- 28 compliance audits were conducted and 228 desktop reviews were carried out during 2022, accompanied by additional AML/CFT compliance examinations that are carried out by the FIAU, or by the MGA on its behalf. Following information which emerged from compliance audits, compliance reviews and formal investigations, the Authority issued 10 warnings and cancelled six (6) licences. In addition, the MGA issued a total of 16 administrative penalties as well as three (3) regulatory settlements, with a collective total financial penalty of €179,150.
- A total of 25 licensees were subject to remediation and/or administrative 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 €738,000.
- Six (6) individuals and companies were deemed by the Fit & Proper Committee to not be up to the Authority’s probity standards due to various factors, including due to the risks of money laundering or funding of terrorism.
- Forty-one (41) gaming licence applications were received during 2022. Thirty-one (31) licences were issued, while twenty-one (21) were unsuccessful.
- Over 1,500 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 conducted 48 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 nine (9) Letters of Breach following breaches of the Commercial Communications Regulations (S.L. 583.09).
- In its efforts to protect players and encourage responsible gambling, the Authority supported a total of 5,280 players who requested assistance, covering most of the cases received during 2022 and the spill-over from 2021.
- The MGA conducted 85 responsible gaming-themed website checks, through which 38 URLs were found to have misleading information. This led to 17 notices being published on the MGA website, and 30 observation letters that were sent out reflecting responsible gaming issues.
Improvements in Efficiency and Effectiveness
- The Authority commissioned a sectorial skills strategy to address the gaming industry’s challenges with respect to the ongoing demand for qualified and skilled human capital, which increased significantly as the economy grew and diversified into numerous sectors.
- Consultation exercises were conducted with industry stakeholders regarding the bets offered by licensees – with a focus on sports integrity and player protection considerations – on the proposed amendments to the Player Protection Directive (Directive 2 of 2018), and on the proposed policy on the use of Innovative Technology Arrangements (ITAs) and the acceptance of Virtual Financial Assets (VFAs) and Virtual Tokens, which led to amendments and a finalised Policy, respectively.
- The Authority streamlined the approval process of appointing an MLRO in collaboration with the FIAU while, at the same time, ensuring that the industry is kept updated on any changes affecting this process and on any best practices that are intrinsic to the role of the MLRO.
- The concept of Agreed-Upon Procedures (AUPs) Reports was introduced, covering player funds and Gaming Revenue. Audit firms are drawing up these reports in compliance with the ‘International Standard on Related Services (ISRS) 4400 (Revised) Agreed-Upon Procedures Engagements’.
- The MGA kickstarted a process for possibly implementing a voluntary Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Code of Good Practice for the industry to showcase and increase the positive social and environmental impacts of the gambling sector.
National and International Cooperation
- Throughout 2022, the Authority issued 43 news items on its website and 26 external communications, providing a synopsis of various updates and developments at the Authority and across the industry.
- A total of 224 alerts were sent to the industry, 167 of which were also sent to the appropriate Sports Governing Bodies.
- A total of 44 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 25 instances. Additionally, a total of 475 suspicious betting reports from licensees and other concerned parties were received.
- During the period under review, the Authority was a direct participant in 15 different investigations across the globe relating to the manipulation of sports competitions or breaches in sports rules, as well as an indirect participant in 3 such investigations.
- The Authority received a total of 83 international cooperation requests from other regulators and sent 97 such requests, with the majority referring to requests for background checks as part of an authorisation process.
- A total of 177 official replies were issued providing feedback on the regulatory good standing of our licensed operators to the relevant authorities asking for this information.
- The MGA works together with other local regulating authorities and governing bodies. This is reflected through responses furnished by the MGA to requests for information made by the Asset Recovery Bureau (ARB), the FIAU, as well as the MPF on the gaming sector. Additionally, the relevant information is provided to the Sanctions Monitoring Board (SMB) to assist in issuing penalties in instances of non-compliance with sanctions screening obligations.
In publishing this report, the CEO, Dr Carl Brincat said: “This report is testament to our collective efforts in promoting a fair and sustainable gaming ecosystem. Through proactive measures and leaner regulation processes, we strive to ensure a level playing field that nurtures innovation while safeguarding against any potential risks.
“As the global gaming landscape evolves, our role becomes even more critical. We embrace this responsibility with utmost determination, working tirelessly to stay ahead of emerging trends, technologies, and challenges. We remain steadfast in our pursuit of robust frameworks that inspire confidence, protect vulnerable individuals and render Malta the home for gaming operators of good will.”
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Silver Strike slot machines at the Plaza Hotel & Casino to offer new coins
Committed to creating a vintage Vegas gaming experience, the Plaza Hotel & Casino has long been a home for Silver Strike slot machines that dispense specialty collector coins.
Beginning this month, the Plaza’s Silver Strike machines will dispense new $20 silver-clad coins to winners betting $1.50.
As casino floors evolved over the years, Silver Strike slot machines became less prevalent as more high-tech machines were added. Now considered a historic game with a limited number of machines still in existence, Silver Strike has a growing and dedicated fan base, many of whom are loyal Plaza customers.
Due to their popularity, the Plaza refurbished two Silver Strike slot machines in 2020 and added two more in the years since. The machines resemble those of a bygone era, and now three of the machines will award winning players one of three newly designed $20 silver-clad collector coins. The fourth machine will continue to award the previous $10 Jonny Rockets and BINGO coins until it runs out and will then be filled with the new $20 coins.
The new coins feature one of three different motifs: a pack of Plaza playing cards encircled with the Plaza’s current tagline “The Place To Be Downtown;” a vintage Vegas scene with the Plaza logo and 1971 to celebrate the year the property opened; and the North Tower of the Plaza with a miner and the tagline “Where Vegas Began.”
Players can decide whether to keep the Plaza collector coin to win the complete set or cash it in, each with a value of $20.
“Offering a retro gaming experience and highly sought-after collector coins, Silver Strike has been immensely popular at the Plaza since we brought it back in 2020,” said Jonathan Jossel, CEO of the Plaza Hotel & Casino. “The new silver coins beautifully pay homage to the Plaza and its history, and no doubt will keep players excited to win so they can collect the set.”
The post Silver Strike slot machines at the Plaza Hotel & Casino to offer new coins appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
euphoria lab
What Does a Win Feel Like? WinSpirit Is Trying to Find Out
As competition among online casino operators increasingly centers on bonus size and game catalogs, WinSpirit is testing a different kind of engagement. The company has launched Euphoria Lab, a project built around an unusual premise for the industry: asking players not about payouts, but about feelings.
Players are invited to share the emotions, memories, and scents they connect with winning. Some describe it as the smell of rain before a summer storm, others mention morning coffee, sea breeze, or the charge in the air right before a result is announced.
The initiative sits within WinSpirit’s summer campaign, but its ambition reaches beyond typical promotions or gameplay mechanics. Euphoria Lab turns attention to the emotional side of play — the moments that stay with players long after a session ends.
Every response collected becomes part of a larger creative project WinSpirit intends to unveil later this year. The company has kept the details under wraps, saying only that the concept moves in a direction rarely seen in the online casino space.
Rather than the usual focus on numbers, odds, or promotions, Euphoria Lab asks a simpler question: not what a win pays out, but what it feels like.
The project is live now, with players across several markets already contributing their answers — a growing, community-shaped experiment with no fixed endpoint yet.
The post What Does a Win Feel Like? WinSpirit Is Trying to Find Out appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
casino summer campaign
What Does a Win Feel Like? WinSpirit Is Trying to Find Out
As competition among online casino operators increasingly centers on bonus size and game catalogs, WinSpirit is testing a different kind of engagement. The company has launched Euphoria Lab, a project built around an unusual premise for the industry: asking players not about payouts, but about feelings.
Players are invited to share the emotions, memories, and scents they connect with winning. Some describe it as the smell of rain before a summer storm, others mention morning coffee, sea breeze, or the charge in the air right before a result is announced.
The initiative sits within WinSpirit’s summer campaign, but its ambition reaches beyond typical promotions or gameplay mechanics. Euphoria Lab turns attention to the emotional side of play — the moments that stay with players long after a session ends.
Every response collected becomes part of a larger creative project WinSpirit intends to unveil later this year. The company has kept the details under wraps, saying only that the concept moves in a direction rarely seen in the online casino space.
Rather than the usual focus on numbers, odds, or promotions, Euphoria Lab asks a simpler question: not what a win pays out, but what it feels like.
The project is live now, with players across several markets already contributing their answers — a growing, community-shaped experiment with no fixed endpoint yet.
The post What Does a Win Feel Like? WinSpirit Is Trying to Find Out appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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