Malta iGaming Jurisdiction

iGaming Jurisdictions - Malta

In 2003 the Malta Lotteries and Gaming Authority put together a new licencing regime, which would deal specifically with online gaming. These measures were widely accepted and then subsequently rushed through with a launch date of February 2004.

The new Remote Gambling Regulations finally launched in April 2004 contained many new regulations besides those regarding online betting. These new regulations provided a host of tax exemptions and licencing opportunity for off-shore parties, and secured Malta's legacy as a reputable member of the gambling community.

Malta's packages is said to be unmatched by other jurisdictions offering licencing arrangements, however with a current backlog of 8-9 months, licences are slow for operators to obtain.

Malta require all applicants to prove to be extremely reputable before being considered for a gambling licence, and all applicants within the jurisdiction must demonstrate appropriate business ability in conducting the betting successfully.

All licences are issued for a minimum period of 5 years, which may be extended for another 5 years.

Malta Gaming Licences

• Class 1: Online Gaming License
• Class 2: Online betting office license/betting exchange
• Class 3: License to promote betting games
• Class 4: License to host and manage gaming operators online.

Malta's licensing procedure is comparatively expensive, only the cream of the crop manages to recieve their gaming licences and permission to operate within the jurisdiction of Malta. However, once a licence has been approved, Malta offers a high quality of service for very low rates, along with many other advantages.

Key Figures

• Corporation Tax Rate: 35%
• Gaming Tax Rate
  • Class 1: €4,658 per month for the first 6 months after the 'go live' date, and €6,988 per month thereafter.
    
  • Class 2: 0.5% on gross amount of stakes accepted.
    
  • Class 3: 5% of real income.
    
  • Class 4: Exempted from tax for the first 6 months, €2,329 per month for the next 6 months and €4,658 per month thereafter for the duration of the license.
    
  • Class 1 on 4: €1,165 per month after the 'go live' date.
    Maximum gaming tax payable by one licensee shall not exceed €466,000
• Capital for iGaming Company
  • Classes 1 & 2: €100,000
  • Classes 3 & 4: €40,000.
    
  • The minimum share capital must be issued and fully paid up.
• Security Requirements / Indemnity for Player Deposits: The LGA must be notified that player deposits must be held separately in a client's account. The LGA monitors the accounts monthly and reviews bank statements to ensure that the deposits are covered.
• Licence Fee: €6,988
• Licence Length: 1 year
• Software Testing Requirements: RNG test certificate and adequate systems review processing
• Reporting Requirements to Regulators: Bi-annual Monthly Accounts, Incident reports, Monthly player balances, client find liabilities and decommisioning of equipment.
• Anti-Money Laundering Policy: The Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit is in its final stages of issuing the 3rd EU Anti Money Laudering Regulations to include all remote gaming amongst subject persons.

Contact Details

Lotteries and Gaming Authority
La Concorde, Abate Rigord Street,
Ta' Xbiex XBX 1121
Malta
Email: info@lga.org.mt

Tel: +356 21 316 590
Fax: +356 21 316 599