The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) published its Capital Requirements Policy on July 2, 2025. The guidelines aim to reinforce the financial standing of licensees and maintain the economic viability of the iGaming industry by ensuring that capital resources are available to licensees for continued operations and growth.
MGA Unveils Policy to Safeguard Financial Stability: What the Document Entails
- The primary objective of the policy is to ensure that licensees have sufficient capital resources for undisturbed operations and growth. This is in line with the MGA’s commitment to promoting a resilient and sustainable iGaming industry.
- Apart from the minimum share capital requirements, the Policy requires licensees to maintain a positive equity position. This enables the MGA to identify licensees with a negative equity position and remedy the situation quickly.
- The Policy has been developed after extensive consultation and has been formally notified to the EU’s Technical Regulation Information System (TRIS), to comply with the EU Directive 2015/1535.
MGA Licensees Required to Maintain Positive Equity Position
The MGA’s new Capital Requirements Policy reinforces the financial stability of gambling operators licensed by the MGA to offer remote gaming services and gaming supplies. The regulator asserted that the policy aims to protect the integrity and commercial feasibility of the iGaming industry by ensuring capital resources are available to operators for operations and growth.
Along with the existing minimum nominal share capital requirements, the policy requires licensees to maintain a positive equity position. This will provide early warnings of negative equity positions to the MGA, enabling the gambling watchdog to remedy the situation quickly. The Malta Gaming Authority is confident in the new framework’s ability to address operators facing financial peril. According to the new policy, applicants seeking to start an online casino business and licensees must meet, possess, and continuously maintain at least the minimum nominal share capital specified under the headings of Type of Licence* and Minimum Capital Share Requirement in the newly published document, which are indicated below.
- Critical Gaming Supply: €40,000
- Gaming Service – Type 1: €100,000
- Gaming Service – Type 2: €100,000
- Gaming Service – Type 3: €40,000
- Gaming Service – Type 4: €40,000
- Gaming Service – Multiple Types: Gaming service applicants/licensees with multiple type approvals must meet the capital requirements cumulatively, capped at €240,000
This move will allow the regulator to identify violators and resolve issues of non-compliance in a streamlined manner. The policy is effective immediately, with a transition period for both new and existing licensees to comply, similar to recent regulatory developments in other jurisdictions—for example, Curacao has extended its gambling licence deadline, providing operators with additional time to meet updated compliance requirements.
The MGA stated the policy was created after extensive consultation to ensure it introduces industry-wide stability and addresses the practical considerations of licensees. The EU’s Technical Regulation Information System (TRIS) has already been notified, under EU Directive 2015/1535.
MGA and MFSA Sign MoU to Strengthen Regulatory Collaboration
The MGA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) on July 1 2025, aiming to improve collaboration between the two regulatory bodies. The MGA stated that the agreement complements a multi-party MoU between the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU), the Sanctions Monitoring Board (SMB), the MGA, and the MFSA.
The existing MoU will continue to govern operations around anti-money laundering. The MFSA’s official statement to the press read:
While the multi-party MoU continues to provide a robust framework for these specific areas, the MGA and MFSA identified the need for a bilateral agreement to discharge their broader responsibilities. The newly signed MoU creates a structure for closer collaboration in areas of mutual regulatory interest, enabling each authority to carry out its duties more effectively.
The bilateral MoU includes provisions for training and education to equip both authorities with the necessary skills and knowledge to handle areas where there may be regulatory overlap. The authorities are eager to improve their institutional competitiveness and increase the overall effectiveness of the regulatory framework.
Charles Mizzi, CEO of the MGA, said:
This MoU marks a significant milestone in our commitment to reinforcing inter-agency collaboration. The agreement between the MFSA and the MGA is important, as we are not only enhancing our information-sharing capabilities but also nurturing a shared commitment to professional development and high regulatory standards.
Speaking about the MoU, Kenneth Farrugia, CEO of the MFSA, said:
The agreement between the MGA and MFSA reflects our commitment to strengthening ties with local authorities as we continue to appreciate the value of inter-agency collaboration. This MoU enhances our mutual commitment to discharging our duties and enforcing the regulations. It goes beyond good practice and intelligence, upskilling our supervisors, who play a critical role in the daily operations of both regulators.
International Regulatory Cooperation Expands
In a parallel move toward global regulatory collaboration, the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gibraltar Gambling Commission. The agreement establishes a framework for cross-border cooperation between the two bodies, as part of a broader effort to enhance oversight, share intelligence, and discharge regulatory duties more effectively across jurisdictions. This development aligns with a growing trend of inter-agency and international cooperation within the gambling regulatory ecosystem.
*An overview of the types of licences offered by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA):
- Critical Gaming Supply: A B2B licence to provide and manage the essential components of a game, including software and control systems critical for regulatory compliance.
- Gaming Service – Type 1: Covers games of chance played against the house with outcomes determined by a random number generator, like casino games, lotteries, and virtual sports.
- Gaming Service – Type 2: Involves games of chance played against the house where outcomes depend on real-world events, such as sports betting, with the operator setting the odds.
- Gaming Service – Type 3: Applies to player-versus-player games where the operator takes no gaming risk but earns revenue through commissions, like poker, bingo, and betting exchanges.
- Gaming Service – Type 4: Refers to controlled skill games regulated under specific provisions (Regulation 8 of the Gaming Authorisations Regulations).