Malta Gaming Authority cancels Oddsfly licence due to unpaid fees
The operator’s licence had been suspended since 2018.
Malta.- The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has finally cancelled the B2C gaming licence of Oddsfly Limited after a long period of suspension for unpaid regulatory fees. The regulator said it had cancelled the licence due to breaches of several rules in its Gaming Compliance and Enforcement Regulations
The MGA said Oddsfly had beached Regulation 3 (1) (b) of the Gaming Licence Fees Regulations by failing to pay the annual licence fees for the years 2018, 2019 and 2020, amounting to a total of €75,000, which remains payable to the regulator. It also breached Regulation 3 (1) (a) by failing to remit applicable compliance contribution fees amounting to €29,814.52 by the applicable deadline for payment. Again, the regulator noted that the total debt accrued remains payable.
The MGA suspended Oddsfly’s licence on August 7 2018 due to material breaches of regulatory obligations. It says that following a comprehensive assessment it is now satisfied in that the cancellation of the authorisation is the most appropriate measure and that the circumstances which gave rise to the suspension cannot be rectified. It directed the operator to settle the €104,814.52 owed without delay, with interest to accrue on the outstanding balance at the applicable rate as established under the Income Tax (Interest Rate) Rules (S.L. 372.28), until full and final payment is affected.
First MGA ESG Code of Good Practice data collection results
Meanwhile, the MGA has published the results of its first ESG Code of Good Practice data collection exercise. Fourteen online gaming licensees voluntarily took part in the exercise, submitting detailed information about their environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices for 2023.
The regulator described the initiative as a milestone in the sector’s commitment to sustainability and responsibility, promoting greater ESG awareness, encouraging transparent reporting and highlighting the progress being made within the online gaming sector. It said the exercises also reflected broader national priorities, aligning with the goals of Malta Vision 2050 framework, which is aimed at driving sustainable growth, resilience, and improved quality of life across all sectors.
“The 2023 reporting cycle revealed positive strides across several areas, such as contributions to community initiatives, the tracking of energy use and emissions, and strong responsible gambling measures, with many licensees going beyond what is required by regulation,” the MGA said.
“The report also highlights opportunities for further progress. Continued emphasis is encouraged in areas such as the implementation of ESG governance frameworks, the development of more structured data tracking mechanisms, and enhanced alignment with long-term ESG objectives. Additionally, there is potential to strengthen gender representation at executive level and to broaden the reach of ESG-focused training across senior leadership.”
All participating licensees have been awarded the ESG Code Approval Seal, with recognition at either Tier 1 or Tier 2 based on the level of alignment with the code. This seal acknowledges both foundational efforts and more aspirational commitments to ESG.
The MGA acknowledged that the data gathered did not represent the full spectrum of the sector, due to the small, self-selected sample size. It said care had been taken to omit potentially sensitive or misleading data points in order to maintain confidentiality and avoid generalisations but that the insights offered valuable direction to guide improvements across the sector.
It’s encouraging all online gaming operators to review the takeaways of the report and consider participating in future ESG Code reporting cycles. Enrolment for 2024 ESG Code Reporting is open now.
