The Malta Gaming Authority recently unveiled a new online self-assessment tool for individuals to analyse their gaming habits. This is part of the gambling regulator’s larger plans to build awareness around problem gambling, ensure player safety, and foster accountability among gambling operators.
Key Insights into the Launch of MGA’s New Online Self-Assessment Tool
- The MGA built the online self-assessment tool in collaboration with several local partners, including social welfare services Sedqa, Caritas Malta, the OASI Foundation, and the Responsible Gaming Foundation.
- The self-assessment tool features nine questions that aim to evaluate the extent of the individual’s gambling addiction while also accounting for broader social and environmental impacts.
- The tool encourages individuals to evaluate their gambling habits and identify signs of early gambling addiction. If the test results show symptoms of gambling harm, players will automatically be directed to one of the partner organisations.
MGA’s New Self-Assessment Tool Empowers Players to Control Their Gambling Habit
The Malta Gaming Authority announced a new online self-assessment tool on October 7. It is available on the MGA’s website in English and Maltese languages and is designed to help individuals evaluate their gambling patterns and identify early symptoms of problem gambling behaviour.
The tool was developed in close coordination between the MGA and four social welfare services, including Sedqa, Caritas Malta, the OASI Foundation, and the Responsible Gaming Foundation. The gambling watchdog confirms that the tool is completely anonymous, accessible to all, and free to use.
The self-assessment tool is part of the MGA’s broader plans to introduce reforms in the country’s gambling sector. Earlier in July, the regulator introduced a new capital requirement policy, reinforcing the financial viability of operators licensed in Malta. The MGA reasoned that this ensures continued operations and long-term growth potential.
The self-assessment tool serves a different purpose but is aligned with the same goal. Based on the Problem Gambling Severity Index, a widely recognised and data-backed screening tool, the online self-assessment tool uses nine questions to determine the participant’s gambling behaviour.
Apart from the individual’s gaming habits, the tool also considers broader social and environmental influences. The MGA assesses that this tool will help individuals identify problematic gambling behaviour early on and seek help before things take a turn for the worse.
Player-Centric Approach at the Core of MGA’s Self-Assessment Tool
The online self-assessment tool is an accessible way for individuals to analyse their gambling behaviour. The MGA claims that it will help players identify if they require professional support. If the test results reveal symptoms of problem gambling, the tool will automatically direct the individual to one of the MGA’s partner organisations.
Each of the four organisations serves as a trusted point of contact for care and support for anyone who needs them. The online tool also provides information on gambling prevention mechanisms players can use for different purposes. For example, setting deposit limits and activating global bet-blocking limits, etc.
This initiative is based on a collaborative framework between the MGA and the social welfare services. It uses a people-first approach to ensure player protection while collaborating with reputable local support groups and welfare associations to deliver urgent help to anyone experiencing signs of gambling addiction.
The MGA urged consumers to participate in the survey regularly and monitor changes in their gambling behaviour to stay protected from gambling harm. This self-exclusion tool arrived at a time when awareness around gambling harm is growing globally, especially with the proliferation of online casino sites.
Earlier this year, the UK Betting and Gaming Council made an interesting discovery regarding the evolution of player relationships with safe gambling tools. The BGC reported a 22% year-on-year increase in the use of responsible gambling tools during Safer Gambling Week 2024.