An In-depth Look at the Malta Gaming Authority
The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) is the official regulatory body of Malta and was developed originally to bridge the gap between the regulation of brick and mortar casinos and the newly emerging world of online casinos. While originally only relevant to Malta, the MGA has become one of the preferred authorities for the regulation of online casinos worldwide and there are a few factors that have helped the MGA reach this status.
What Does the MGA Do?
The MGA is not just a regulatory body designed for the implementation of legislation surrounding online casinos. What makes them so attractive to companies internationally is that they also have a detailed understanding of the requirements of the businesses they serve, and are able to provide input not only on how to remain within regulations, but also on how to best situate the business in the ecommerce environment.
The MGA mission statement is, *“To regulate competently the various sectors of the gaming industry that fall under the Authority by ensuring gaming is fair and transparent to the players, preventing crime, corruption and money laundering and by protecting minor and vulnerable players.” *and they certainly ensure that they live up to this motto.
Aim of the MGA
The MGA has quite a comprehensive agenda regarding their aims, and their goals are all aligned with promoting a fair and safe gaming environment. First and foremost, they aim to protect minors and vulnerable persons. They monitor the accessibility of gambling institutions to underage players and ensure that the boundaries are not crossed, even in simpler games such as lotteries.
Most importantly to the players themselves, the MGA safeguards the rights of the players. To do this they monitor things such as payment systems and the implementation of special deals. In addition they also ensure the integrity of the games themselves. This is especially important for online casinos where the games are all electronic. The MGA ensures that the games are fair and that there is no foul play with any of the programs or RNG’s that operate the games.
Lastly, they aim to promote responsible gaming in a safe environment. Casinos and other gambling locations need to be compliant with responsible gaming regulations and sufficient information about how to get the necessary help needs to be provided.
Activities
In order for the MGA to stay active and relevant in all of their aims and objectives, there are a number of activities they carry out or take part in. For example, they conduct extensive research on the various aspects of gaming. This research is used to inform regulators for future amendments to the legislation or to create better systems for safe and fair play.
The MGA is also directly responsible for issuing licenses and collecting the required taxes on behalf of the government. As part of this they actively monitor all licensed gaming to ensure that regulations are adhered to and relevant contributions are carried out.
Despite the overall goal of the MGA being around regulations and adherence, the organisation does also have a slightly wider impact. They ensure that all businesses operating in the jurisdiction contribute to the countries development, and that the funds generated are used appropriately to aid consistent economic growth.
Finally, the MGA also gets involved in more charitable causes and helps to support organisations that uplift those in need. All in all, the Malta Gaming Authority is a full service organisation that makes it easy to ensure that licensing and legislations are adhered to, and to guarantee players that they are getting treated fairly in a safe environment. There is good reason they are so successful with international businesses, and will continue to be.
