The Malta Gaming Authorityhas released an Interim Performance Report for the period between January to June 2022. A review of the Authority’s accomplishments for the first half of 2022 is provided in the report, together with a description of the Maltese gaming industry’s performance over the same period. 

During said period, 16 compliance audits were conducted together with 114 desktop reviews, accompanied by an additional seven AML/CFT compliance examinations that were initiated by the MGA on behalf of the FIAU.

The regulator also issued a warning, canceled a license, and suspended another authorized entity following information that emerged from compliance audits, compliance reviews and formal investigations. It issued a total of seven administrative penalties as well as two regulatory settlements, with a collective total financial penalty of EUR 85,000.

Enforcement measures were also issued by the FIAU to an additional four licensees, ranging from written reprimands to administrative penalties, with an emphasis on remediation measures, based on the breaches identified during examinations carried out in previous years. The total amounted to just over EUR 386,567.

Based primarily on reducing the risk of money laundering or funding terrorism, the Fit & Proper Committee determined that four individuals and entities did not meet the Authority’s criteria, while an additional two applications were rejected by the Supervisory Council.

626 criminal probity screening checks were also undertaken on personnel, shareholders, ultimate beneficial owners, key individuals, employees and businesses from the land-based and online gambling sectors during the reviewed period.

In the first half of the year, 22 interviews with prospective money laundering reporting officers and key persons carrying out the AML/CFT function were held, “with the aim of determining the knowledge and suitability of each candidate.”

The Authority also assisted a total of 2,578 players who requested it, covering the majority of the cases received during 2022 and the spillover from 2021, in its efforts to safeguard players and promote responsible gaming.

A total of 22 cases of websites having misleading references to the Authority were investigated, while a total of 13 notices were published on the MGA’s website with the aim of preventing the public from falling victim to scams.  

When it comes to national and international cooperation, a total of 122 alerts on suspicious betting were sent to the industry. Following correspondence of these alerts, the Suspicious Betting Reporting Mechanism received a total of 16 new suspicious betting reports. 

Enforcement agencies, sports governing bodies, integrity units and other regulatory authorities made a total of 23 requests for information, specifically in relation to the manipulation of sporting events or violations of sporting regulations.

Subsequently, 10 of these requests resulted in the exchange of data. In addition, 278 allegations of suspicious betting from licensees and other interested parties were received. 

The Authority also participated directly in 12 separate investigations into sports rules violations or manipulations of sporting competitions during the time under review, and participated indirectly in another investigation. 

The Authority sent 64 requests for international cooperation, the majority of which related to requests for background checks as part of an authorization process. The regulator received a total of 36 requests for international collaboration from other regulators. 

The MGA will publish a full-year industry performance report during the second half of 2023, when it publishes its Annual Report for the financial year ending December 31, 2022. 

Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2023/01/12/65686-mga-releases-interim-h1-2022-report-showing-one-license-cancelation-one-suspension-over-the-period

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