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The MGA Issues Interim Performance Report for January – June 2022

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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.

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Compliance Updates

CT Interactive grows its certified portfolio in Romania

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CT Interactive is strengthening its presence in Romania’s regulated iGaming market by certifying 20 new games, bringing its total portfolio in the country to 101 titles. This is a significant achievement in the company’s European growth strategy.

Among the new certified releases are fan favorites such as Lucky Clover 10, the latest addition to the beloved Clover series featuring vintage-inspired graphics and nostalgic design elements, and 20 Mega Star, a classic fruit-themed slot that combines familiar gameplay with modern visuals to keep players engaged. Both titles have already proven their success across multiple international markets with strong player engagement.

Additionally, CT Interactive is launching its new Buy Bonus product line in the Romanian market. This exciting lineup includes Doctor Winstein Buy Bonus, Duck of Luck Buy Bonus, Fruits & Sweets Buy Bonus, Nanook the White Ghost Buy Bonus, and Hyper Cuber Buy Bonus — all offering thrilling bonus features and enhanced gameplay tailored to local player preferences.

“Certification in Romania is an important part of our European growth strategy,” said Martin Ivanov, COO of CT Interactive. “This expansion not only strengthens our presence but also enables us to offer a diverse and premium range of content to the regulated Romanian market.”

With these new certifications, CT Interactive continues to be a trusted provider of engaging gaming content, offering Romanian operators a broad range of advanced titles fully aligned with local regulatory standards.

The post CT Interactive grows its certified portfolio in Romania appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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MDC Issues Commentary as U.S. Gambling Enters “Regulatory Reset” Following $148 Billion Wagered

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Minimum Deposit Casinos (MDC) has issued an expert commentary on what it calls a “regulatory reset” in the U.S. gambling sector, as lawmakers and regulators respond to explosive growth in consumer betting behavior. According to the American Gaming Association, Americans wagered a record $148 billion on sports in 2024. This surge has sparked new scrutiny from both federal and state-level authorities.

Recent legislative efforts in New York, Louisiana, and Montana have targeted sweepstakes-based casinos and skill-based betting formats. Proposed changes include tighter bet size limits, stricter advertising rules, and licensing reforms aimed at reducing player harm and increasing transparency.

“The regulatory environment is catching up with consumer behavior. There’s growing concern over how online gambling is marketed, accessed, and governed. Areas like responsible gaming, ad targeting, and instant deposits are now being looked at much more critically,” said a spokesperson at MDC.

According to the latest figures from the American Gaming Association, U.S. commercial gaming revenue reached $19.44 billion in Q2 2025, marking a 9.8% increase compared to the same period last year. Online casino gaming accounted for $2.6 billion of that total, reflecting a 32.3% year-over-year jump. The numbers underscore continued momentum for digital platforms even as regulations tighten.

MDC’s commentary urges both players and operators to stay ahead of the curve. As laws evolve, demand is rising for licensed platforms that offer low-deposit access, better responsible gambling tools, and full regulatory compliance.

The post MDC Issues Commentary as U.S. Gambling Enters “Regulatory Reset” Following $148 Billion Wagered appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Compliance Updates

Dutch Gambling Regulator to Amend its Remote Gambling Licensing Policy Rules

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The Dutch Gambling Regulator (KSA) is to amend its Remote Gambling Licensing Policy Rules effective January 1, 2026. This amendment is necessary, in part, because the licenses granted in September 2021 expire on October 1, 2026. Licenses have a term of five years. The amended policy rules impose new obligations on all applicants, but primarily provide guidance on the process for applying for a follow-up license by providers already holding a license.

New requirements apply to all license applicants. For example, applications must include a document explaining how providers plan to inform the KSA (Netherlands Authority for the Protection of Gaming) in a timely manner about important changes to their policies and operations. Applicants must also now include an exit plan explaining how they will reduce their gaming offerings once the license expires.

Furthermore, an important addition has been made regarding reliability: if providers have not complied with final or provisionally enforceable court rulings at the time of their application, their reliability is not beyond doubt. This constitutes grounds for refusing a license. Providers must also now submit a Wwft risk analysis with their application.

A separate application procedure applies to applications for a follow-up license by parties already active on the market. In this procedure, various components will be reassessed, including the addiction prevention policy and the recruitment and advertising policy. A new integration test will be conducted for the control database (CDB) component. They must also meet the new conditions that apply to all applications, as mentioned above.

When opening the online market, the legislature deliberately opted to issue permits with a term of (maximum) five years. By using a fixed-term permit, the legislature intended that the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (KSA) would consider supervisory experience gained in each application for a subsequent permit. Providers who have made mistakes in the past five years must explain during the application process how they have learned from previous mistakes and how they intend to prevent recurrence. If the KSA finds this explanation insufficient, the permit may be denied or additional conditions and restrictions may be imposed.

The post Dutch Gambling Regulator to Amend its Remote Gambling Licensing Policy Rules appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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