Malta passes law protecting online gambling operators

The new law protects Maltese offshore gambling operators from foreign liability.

Malta.- The Maltese parliament has passed a bill that protects online gambling operators licensed by the MGA from foreign liability. Bill 55 has been signed into law by George Vella as Act No. XXI 2023 Gaming (Amendment) Act.

The act instructs Maltese courts to refuse to accept or enforce foreign judgements against Malta-licensed gambling companies that operate in the European market. That means it will prevent other European countries from taking legal action in Malta against operators that target their markets when operating under their Maltese licence.

Operators targetting other European markets often claim to be covered by their Maltese licence due to the European treaty permitting the free movement of services across the bloc. However, some European countries argue that they can prevent Maltese licensed operators from targeting customers in their markets, noting a 2017 European Commission decision.

Some operators are still refusing to pay for judgements against them in countries such as Germany and Austria, leading international lawyers to start legal proceedings against them in Malta.

See also: MGA discusses collaboration with Britain’s Gambling Commission