Maltese regulator warns of igaming sites “impersonating MGA-licensed operators”
The MGA says it has found three sites that it claims have been misleading consumers into believing that they are licensed, regulated or authorised by the regulator.
Malta.- The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has issued a public notice warning that it has detected a pattern of websites that unlicensed operators are attempting to pass off as licensed entities. It said it had found sites “impersonating MGA-licensed operators and misleading consumers into believing that they are licensed, regulated or otherwise authorised by the Authority”.
The regulator named three specific sites as culprits: www.manekicasino.bet, www.dragonaracasino.uk.com, www.slot-hunter.at, but there could be more. It stressed that it has no connection to these URLs and any other website, platform and/or entity impersonating the Authority and/or MGA-licensed operators.
“Any reference to the MGA and/or gaming licence/s said to be issued by it, as stated on these domains, are false and misleading,” the MGA said. It advised customers not to use gambling services unless they have ascertained that the entity in question is authorised by the MGA and appears on the MGA’s Licensee Register.
The MGA’s annual report 2025 shows that the regulator issued 35 cease and desist letters last year, along with 22 warnings and 30 administrative penalties amounting to €162,520. One licence was suspended and two were cancelled.
Compliance efforts included 15 full-scope audits, 109 thematic reviews, and 21 AML/CFT examinations, with remediation measures and penalties imposed by the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU) totalling just under €26,500.
In terms of licensing, the MGA received 38 applications for new gaming licences and approved 19. Two were rejected on the grounds of false or misleading submissions. A further 10 renewal applications were submitted, with eight renewals granted.
B2B licences accounted for 24 of the applications received and 12 of the licences issued, confirming the trend towards growth in B2B over B2C in Malta’s igaming sector.
Oversight of low-risk gaming activities saw the issuance of 2,043 permits for non-profit tombola, 22 permits for non-profit lottery, and 118 certificates for commercial communication games. The Authority also conducted 1,266 due diligence checks and escalated complex cases to the Fit and Proper Committee, which ruled seven entities or individuals unfit.
