Casinos Licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority
The Maltese regulator started issuing gambling licenсes in 2001. This jurisdiction is considered to be at the centre of the European online gambling industry. Every year the business brings in more than €80,000,000 for the country.
An MGA licenсe is an effective way for operators to start an online casino. The gaming board is scrupulous in making sure online casinos are honest, which is highly appreciated by the players. Only honest casinos get permits from the Maltese regulator.
Remote Gaming Regulations S.L. 438.04 is the main act according to which an MGA Gambling licenсe is issued. The original rules of remote gaming were published in April 2004 and were in effect until 2018. Then, the new act and the relevant legislation came into force. The gaming regime is technology neutral. It is applied both to land-based and online casinos.
A Gambling licence in Malta is a safe and reputable way to legally register your business. The legislation gives clear instructions on how companies that offer any type of gaming must operate.
4 Types of Gaming Licences the MGA Grants to Casinos
Foreign and Maltese companies can choose between four types of gaming licenсe:
- Type 1 — for online casinos and games halls with RNG-based emulators.
- Type 2 — for online bookmakers that accept different types of bets online at fixed rates.
- Type 3 — for poker rooms, lottery game providers, giveaway hosts, and other peer-to-peer games.
- Type 4 — for hardware and software providers and companies that offer hosting services.
Until 2018, MGA issued gambling licenсes for a period of 5 years. Now the licence stays active for 10 years. A company doesn’t have to apply for each type of licenсe. An operator just needs to specify the service type after they get a licenсe. They won’t have to undergo the licensing procedure again.
The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) thoroughly analyzes the operation of the company and reviews all documents provided. Getting a licenсe is difficult for someone who is new to the gaming industry due to the multiple verification procedures. But getting a licenсe will take your casino business to another level.
It takes 2-4 months for business owners who have experience in the gambling industry to get a gaming licence in Malta. The process of obtaining a certification is high, especially if you’re trying to get the first licenсe type.
Rules and Requirements for Getting a Licenсe from the Malta Gaming Authority
The operator registers their company within the jurisdiction of Malta. They get a phone number for the stated address.
Other terms from the licensor:
- Prepare documents in English. The Malta Gaming Authority only accepts documents that were translated into English.
- Make a list of employees supplied with a detailed resume, passport copy, certificate of no criminal record, and reference letter.
- Present a business plan with a detailed description of the project and the financial and marketing strategies.
- Provide information about the security system, software publisher certificates, methods of storing client data, and their transaction histories.
Having gone through all these stages and received the regulator’s approval, safe casinos can go live in a test mode for 60 days. During this period, the licensor conducts an audit of the technical environment of the online platform.
An audit of a casino with a Malta gaming licence is performed in the first year after getting a certificate and again after three years of operation. The regulator checks the operation conditions: whether the random number generator works correctly and whether the casino follows the rules of responsible gaming.
Licence Cost
| Licence type | Rate |
|---|---|
| Type 1 | €4600 1.5 years after obtaining a licence; after that — €7000 |
| Type 2 | 0.5% from the total amount of placed bets |
| Type 3 | 5% from the annual income |
| Type 4 | 0% in the first 1.5 years after obtaining the licence, then €2300 for 6 months, after that — €4600 |
MGA Contacts
The office of the gaming board is open on weekdays from 9 AM to 5 PM. The board doesn’t accept applications for getting a gaming licence of Malta on weekends and holidays.
How you can contact MGA:
- email for general enquiries: info.mga@mga.org.mt;
- for media enquiries: communications.mga@mga.org.mt;
- Phone: +356 2456 9000;
- Location: Malta Gaming Authority Building SCM 02-03, Level 4, SmartCity Malta, Ricasoli SCM 1001, Malta.
You can see if a best casinos Canada is MGA licensed at https://www.mga.org.mt/. The regulator keeps a list of MGA licensed casinos and updates its list of operators whose licences were cancelled. You can check if it is safe to play with real money in an online casino or not. The user can also submit a complaint if they believe an online casino has violated any rules.
Pros and Cons of a Casino Licensed by the MGA
The gaming authority is popular, but it’s not perfect. Here are the pros:
- The country is an EU member. This isn’t an offshore zone, and it is financially stable. Players value casinos licensed by the MGA.
- The licence application process was thoroughly developed at the legislative level and has been refined through practice. The regulator has been issuing permits since 2001, so all information is processed only according to the instructions.
- There’s a wide choice of IT companies offering package solutions for getting a licence. They know about the nuances of applying for a gaming licence in Malta and help operators to get the document.
- The expenses aren’t that high. An owner of a safe casino pays € 8,500 per year. In the first year, they need to pay a €4,830 fee that covers the audit and the request for application processing.
- You can open a bank account in Malta. Financial transactions are easy to perform, and organizations are loyal to the gambling industry.
- The Malta Gaming Authority gives an operator a temporary licence until they get their permanent licence or while they undergo an audit.
There aren’t many cons. Operators mention having to pay two taxes: a tax on gaming revenue and a special gaming tax. The gaming board requires licensees to provide a lot of reports.
Top 2025 online casinos licensed by MGA also won’t allow you to withdraw money without verification. Operators check the players’ age and their place of residence. If a user is under-aged or makes bets in a prohibited country, their account gets blocked.
Every year operators are required to pay extra costs for an auditor to verify all data. You need to take this into account before getting an MGA licence. Normally, decent CA casinos have no problem undergoing an audit. The regulator sets tough terms, but they can be followed.
Key Takeaways
The jurisdiction has issued licences to online clubs since 2004. Online casinos in Malta were the first to get a licenсe. The regulator issues licences for all types of services related to gambling. Operators who want to register their business can open land-based casinos, official websites with slot machines, online mobile casinos, and bookmakers. You can also get a gaming licence in Malta in 2025 for lotteries and totes.
Companies that have been licensed receive international status. They can provide their services in many countries. Licensed platforms are also allowed to operate in Canada. The legislation doesn’t say anything about betting limits on online platforms licensed by other jurisdictions.
The Malta gaming authority keeps a close eye on the licensees to make sure they fulfill their obligations to their clients. Certified casinos with good payouts only work with original software providers. The regulator performs an audit of the random number generator, checking the payout of slot machines. You can start with a minimum deposit or go all in without worries because these casinos provide you with everything for safe gaming.
A List of Canadian Casinos Licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority
For experienced gamers, the regulatory body is one of the criteria for choosing a gambling platform. The Maltese commission handles complaints from the clients of mobile online casinos and resolves disputes between casinos with a Malta Gaming Authority licence and their clients.
The most popular Canadian platforms licensed by the MGA:
2000+ available games
These online casinos with an MGA licenсe in Canada are on our top list of safe betting sites in 2025. They offer interesting rewards, including no deposit bonuses. According to player reviews, there haven’t been any issues with withdrawal.