The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) partners with local regulatory bodies

According to the Maltese regulator, the MGA has partnered with the University of Malta to improve compliance inspections.

According to the Malta Gaming Authority, it has participated in several workshops that aim to improve cooperation between regulators. The MGA’s anti-money laundering unit recently collaborated with Malta’s Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit’s (FIAU) supervision unit to coordinate and consolidate the examinations conducted in the first quarter of 2023.

According to reports, the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and Malta’s Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit’s (FIAU) supervision unit have collaborated to improve their supervisory processes. The two regulators took part in a joint workshop and training session with the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) to share best practices and insights on supervisory techniques and compliance examination processes. Rachel Bezzina, the AML manager, provided an overview of the MGA’s AML unit’s examination process structure.

According to Claudia Callus, head of supervision at FIAU, ongoing collaboration between the FIAU and MGA is essential for monitoring gaming operators’ AML/CFT compliance frameworks effectively. She added that well-trained employees who understand each other’s work and processes are crucial for AML/CFT supervision.

Antonio Abdilla Zerafa, head of financial crime compliance at MGA, noted that the regulators have a strong and ongoing collaborative bond that plays a vital role in the gaming industry’s AML/CFT supervision efforts. He added that the FIAU and the MGA organise various workshops, including those that take place before and after joint supervisory engagements, to ensure they are conducted effectively and efficiently.

“To ensure this, the FIAU and the MGA organise a number of workshops which take on varying forms – including those that take place before and after joint supervisory engagements – to ensure that they are conducted in the most effective and efficient manner,” he said.

The University of Malta’s igaming students are collaborating with MGA

At two separate events, 15 employees from the MGA shared their expertise on the gaming industry and their experiences working at the regulatory authority. As part of the Annual ICT Industry Sessions, organized by the Faculty of IT, some 50 MCAST students who are currently studying for a Diploma in iGaming at the University of Malta visited the MGA’s Smartcity offices.

The MGA stated that the event was mutually beneficial for both the students and the regulatory authority and that it is eager to participate in more such initiatives.

In the previous month, the MGA notified the cancellation of 4tune-Software GmbH’s gaming software supplier license due to failure to pay regulatory fees. The cancellation will be carried out under regulations 9(1) (c) and (l) of the Gaming Compliance and Enforcement Regulations.