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MGA Publishes its 2024 Annual Report and Financial Statements

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The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has published its Annual Report and audited Financial Statements for the financial year ending 31 December 2024. The report offers an in-depth overview of the performance of Malta’s land-based and online gaming sectors during 2024, while also highlighting the Authority’s key activities and regulatory developments over the past year. It also offers a medium-term outlook for the broader gaming industry, reflecting emerging trends, regulatory shifts and the evolving market landscape.

Key Highlights from 2024

Supervisory Activity & Enforcement

In 2024, the MGA received 28 applications for new gaming licences and issued 17 licences. In addition, the Authority received a further 12 gaming licence renewal applications from operators to renew their gaming licence that was bound to expire in 2024 and issued eight licence renewals.

Low-risk games require a permit, which is valid only for a singular event and expires when the event is concluded. To this end, the MGA issued 1812 permits for non-profit tombola, 19 permits for non-profit lottery and 84 certificates for commercial communication games.

As part of the Authority’s process to assess applications, the MGA carried out just under 1200 criminal probity screening checks on authorised persons, persons holding qualifying interest, directors, key persons and any third parties providing funding or exercising control over an authorised person in both the land-based and online gaming sectors. The Fit and Proper Committee made 64 decisions, 16 of which determined that the criteria to be considered as fit and proper were not met.

The Supervisory Council reviewed 30 gaming licence applications, including new and renewal requests. Out of these, two applications were rejected on the grounds that information or submissions provided were false, misleading, inaccurate, or materially incomplete following the completion of the “Minded Letter” process. One application remained in the “Minded to Refuse” stage.

In 2024, the MGA concluded 13 compliance audits and 116 desktop reviews.

The Authority was notified by the licensees of 123 Technical Information Security Incidents, which the MGA investigated to ensure that no licensed activity was adversely affected.

The Commercial Communications Committee took seven decisions regarding possible breaches of the Gaming Commercial Communications Regulations.

In 2024, the Authority also issued 35 warnings, 25 administrative penalties amounting to €306,250 and reached three regulatory settlements amounting to €61,522. The MGA also suspended two licences and cancelled eight.

AML/CFT Oversight

43 AML/CFT compliance examinations were initiated by the FIAU or by the MGA on its behalf.

60 examinations were concluded, and 11 closure letters were issued to licensees who either addressed the identified issues or where the findings from the compliance examinations were not deemed to be serious and/or systematic.

The FIAU imposed remediation measures and/or administrative penalties on six licensees. The total administrative penalties issued amounted to just under €185,000.

The Authority conducted 37 interviews on prospective MLROs to ensure that candidates meet the required standards of knowledge and awareness of the Maltese AML/CFT legal framework.

Player Protection and Inspections

As part of its efforts to safeguard players and promote responsible gambling, the MGA resolved 3372 requests for assistance (including spill-over from 2023).

To continue safeguarding player funds, the Authority received 1897 player funds reports and carried out 27 data extractions during the reporting period.

The Authority conducted 40 responsible gambling-themed website checks and issued 27 observation letters outlining the issues and areas for improvement.

The MGA investigated 83 cases involving websites that published misleading information and issued 29 public notices on its website.

During the reporting period, the MGA carried out just over 9000 inspections on Gaming Premises (including casinos and commercial bingo halls), Controlled Gaming Premises, National Lottery Outlets including National Lottery Outlets – Controlled Gaming Premises and Non-Profit Tombola.

National and International Cooperation

In 2024, the MGA received 244 suspicious betting reports from licensees and shared 247 alerts on suspicious betting. The Authority participated in 30 investigations across different jurisdictions.

The MGA collaborated with enforcement agencies, sports governing bodies, integrity units and regulatory authorities on 31 requests for information and participated in 39 data exchanges.

The MGA received 85 requests for international collaboration from other regulators. Most of the requests received were generic requests for cooperation or requests for background checks as part of authorisations processes.

The Authority issued 59 official replies to provide feedback on the regulatory standing of its licensed operators to the relevant authorities requesting the information.

The MGA collaborated with local regulating authorities and governing bodies on 161 requests for information.

“Resilience is not just about endurance – it’s about adapting with purpose and staying focused on what matters,” CEO Charles Mizzi said.

“Over the past year, we improved how we work, strengthened our internal processes, and continued investing in the people and systems that support effective regulation. As the sector continues to evolve, the MGA remains committed to anticipating challenges, adapting with purpose, and upholding the standards that define Malta’s reputation as a trusted jurisdiction.”

The post MGA Publishes its 2024 Annual Report and Financial Statements appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Firesand launches Firesand Shield to combat rise in iGaming account fraud attacks

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Firesand, a leader in iGaming security services and software, has developed a cutting-edge Anti-Account Fraud solution to safeguard iGaming operators and platform providers from escalating credential-based cyber threats.

Firesand Shield is a best-in-class product that has been designed to address the growing complexity of account fraud that has impacted the global iGaming industry in recent times, which in some cases has resulted in loss of business, damaged reputation and regulatory fines. Common examples of account fraud include credential stuffing, dictionary attacks, and common password exploitation.

The new solution provides proactive, intelligent detection and prevention against the full spectrum of account compromise techniques, without relying on user-disruptive CAPTCHAs or blunt blocking mechanisms, to ensure the end user experience remains uninterrupted.

Unlike legacy or bot-only detection tools, Firesand Shield leans on the company’s specialism as a penetration testing service provider to focus on attack patterns, regardless of whether the source is human, bot, or hybrid, offering unmatched insight and agility in protecting operator user accounts and platform integrity. It includes in-depth attack analysis and reporting to provide greater transparency and clarity over the source of each security vulnerability.

With a product upgrade roadmap that includes geolocation anomaly detection, VPN usage analysis, and AI-powered behavioural profiling, Firesand Shield is set to offer operators and platforms significant peace of mind to stay ahead of security threats as they evolve.

Chris Blake, Director at Firesand, said: “Account fraud is a growing threat to the global iGaming industry. There have been multiple cases in the previous year alone where user data has been breached, leading to a detrimental impact for businesses targeted.

Firesand Shield has been designed to support operators and platform providers of all sizes to sharpen their security capabilities as these attacks become more common and sophisticated. Underpinned by our superior iGaming security excellence, we are well positioned to further strengthen online systems on a global scale.”

With a proven track record of developing bespoke security platforms for a range of industries, Firesand brings unmatched credibility and expertise to the iGaming space, combining technical solutions with practical, actionable defence capabilities for high-risk digital environments.

The post Firesand launches Firesand Shield to combat rise in iGaming account fraud attacks appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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BETANO

Betano Teams up with FIFA as Official Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ for South America

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Betano, a leading online sports betting brand owned by Kaizen Gaming, is today announcing a new partnership as it becomes Official Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ for South America.

Following a successful collaboration for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM, Betano and FIFA are once again joining forces to excite and entertain football fans throughout the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. The new tournament features 32 of the world’s top club teams competing in the United States from June 14th to July 13th, culminating in the final at MetLife Stadium in New York, New Jersey. All 6 international confederations under FIFA will be represented, with teams’ qualifying on sporting merit such as winning their respective major continental club competition or through a ranking from having strong performances over a four-year period in the continental competition.

George Daskalakis, co-founder and CEO of Kaizen Gaming, said: “After being the first sports betting operator to support the FIFA World Cup™ in Qatar in 2022, we are proud that Betano is joining forces with FIFA once again – this time for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™. It is a privilege to work closely with FIFA for a tournament that brings together millions of fans from all around the world as they get to watch the best club teams and players football has to offer. This year’s tournament is particularly special, as it marks a moment in history as the inaugural edition.”

Romy Gai, Chief Business Officer at FIFA said: “We are thrilled to be collaborating once again with Kaizen Gaming and its Betano brand. Our shared ethos of enhancing the fan experience delivered huge successes during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM, and we are excited to be working with their team to deliver another world-class tournament. Over the past three years, we have seen the Betano brand grow and expand, and we know fans will be excited for this next step.”

The post Betano Teams up with FIFA as Official Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ for South America appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Affiliate Industry

Meet MegaList: The Rising Force in iGaming Affiliation

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There are affiliate networks, and then there’s MegaList – a performance-first, hype-last kind of operation built for casino and sportsbook brands that prefer results over buzzwords.

In an industry that sometimes feels like it’s powered by vague metrics and recycled content, MegaList steps in as the “Mega Map” – a practical, data-driven network guiding both players and operators to higher ground. Less “look at our reach,” more “here’s your conversion rate.”

So no, this isn’t just another logo-stamped brand promising traffic and delivering bounce rates. This is a carefully engineered affiliate engine built on smart SEO, qualified leads, and just enough caffeine-fueled obsession with results to make even the most skeptical operators pay attention.

The iGaming Affiliate World: Why It (Still) Matters

Let’s be honest – the affiliate space in iGaming has had its fair share of bad actors and empty promises. But when done right, affiliate marketing is still one of the most effective and efficient ways to connect licensed operators with the right players.

Players want fewer popups, more clarity. Operators want actual ROI, not vague impressions.
Enter: the data-driven affiliate network.

It’s simple:

  • Informed players make better choices.
  • Strategic affiliates deliver better traffic.
  • Everyone wins. Except, of course, the shady operators who preferred it the other way.

Meet the MegaList Brands

These aren’t vanity microsites. Each MegaList brand has a specific mission, actual humans behind the content, and a reputation for, well… telling it like it is.

MegaCasinoList


Let’s face it – players don’t need another affiliate promising “top 10 casinos” based on whatever ad paid the most. They need honest, transparent, expert-backed reviews.

That’s where MegaCasinoList comes in – a platform that filters out the noise and delivers legit info on licensed casinos, security, fairness, and gameplay. Slots? Live dealer games? Payout speed? Yep, it’s all in there, and it’s all vetted.

They work with reliable operators only, because – and here’s a crazy idea – not every shiny site deserves your deposit.

MegaTipsList

If you like sports predictions that read like a 20-page legal document, you’re in the wrong place.

MegaTipsList is built for bettors who want real insights, fast reads, accurate tips, and actual value. It delivers predictions, sports news, and timely promotions – minus the fluff and with none of that “win guaranteed” nonsense.

Designed for bettors who like to stay informed without needing a PhD to understand the odds.

MegaBetList

For the practical bettor who just wants the facts: which sites are legit, which ones pay fast, and what to expect before placing your first wager.

MegaBetList reviews betting platforms with a clear, no-nonsense voice. It’s not trying to dazzle; it’s trying to help people bet smarter – and it’s doing a pretty solid job of it.

From licensing to promotions to usability, everything is covered – and everything is filtered through what actually matters to sports fans.

Why This All Matters (And Why It’s Working)

The iGaming world doesn’t need more noise. It needs better filters, smarter partners, and affiliates that actually care whether the traffic leads somewhere useful.

That’s where MegaList comes in – not to impress with buzzwords, but to perform, to scale, and to make sure both operators and players are on the same page for once.

And if we may drop in a little vision while we’re at it:

“At MegaList, we believe informed players and strategic operators shape a stronger, smarter iGaming industry.”

For once, a statement that isn’t just inspirational filler.

So the next time someone pitches you an affiliate network, ask one thing: “Do they have a plan, or just a landing page?”

 MegaList has both, and a track record to prove it.

Explore MegaList’s network:
🔗 MegaAffiliatesList.com

The post Meet MegaList: The Rising Force in iGaming Affiliation appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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