Minister in Malta diminishes UKGC’s concerns

A Junior Minister in Malta has diminished UKGC’s concerns and said that the local gambling regulator is doing a great job.

Malta.- Silvio Schembri, Junior Minister for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation in Malta, has praised the local gambling authority for its work and played down the concerns raised by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) last month. The CEO of the UKGC had recently said that the biggest offenders in the UK are based in Malta.

Neil McArthur, UKGC’s CEO, said that Malta-based gaming companies are the biggest offenders in the UK. He also said that far more needs to be done to raise compliance standards. He highlighted that the market needs more standards among gambling businesses that target British consumers but are based overseas.

Schembri told Lovin Malta that the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) is doing a sterling job. “Our duty as politicians is that we give all the necessary tools, by enhancing legislation and helping regulatory bodies as MGA to monitor and sanction were needed. This is what we are doing, and what we will continue to do in the future,” said the Junior Minister to the news outlet.

UKGC’s cooperation with Malta

UKGC said that the relationship with the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) is vital to their work. “Just over a year ago, the MGA joined us in signing the joint declaration of Gambling Regulators raising concerns related to the blurring of lines between gambling and gaming. We are also both members of the GREF e-gambling and Responsible gambling working groups and the CEN working group, which is considering standardisation of reporting. And the MGA share our concerns about the need to raise standards.”