The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has called for clearer escalation procedures and stronger human oversight of sports betting monitoring following a thematic review published on 27 October 2026.
The review focused on licensees that had submitted few or no Suspicious Betting Reports. It found that low reporting volumes sometimes reflected effective risk controls, while identifying areas where monitoring and reporting arrangements needed improvement.
Low report numbers did not automatically indicate weak monitoring.
The MGA wants documented escalation procedures and appropriate human oversight.
Existing reporting duties cover suspicious events offered under the MGA licence, including cases involving accounts outside its remit.
In its 27 October announcement, the MGA said restrictive betting limits and the removal of events vulnerable to manipulation had helped some businesses reduce their exposure.
The regulator highlighted the following areas:
| Area | Practice highlighted by the MGA |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | Real-time systems supported by appropriate human oversight. |
| Escalation | Clear written procedures and documented reporting responsibilities. |
| Internal cooperation | Effective collaboration between risk and compliance teams. |
| Athlete safeguards | Controls against prohibited betting by athletes and sports personnel. |
The MGA’s existing reporting requirements require sports betting licensees to report suspicious events through the Suspicious Betting Reporting Mechanism.
The authority expects reports on suspicious events offered to customers under the MGA licence. It also expects reporting where the suspicious betting takes place through accounts outside that licence’s remit, even when the operator cannot share the corresponding betting data.
The guidance distinguishes between reporting an event and supplying account-level information. B2C operators are expected to provide relevant betting data within the MGA’s remit. Where data falls under another jurisdiction, that jurisdiction should be identified in the report. B2B critical gaming suppliers are not expected to provide betting data when reporting suspicious events.
For groups operating across several jurisdictions, these requirements make the reporting route and the scope of available data separate considerations.
The findings sit within the MGA’s broader 2026 supervisory priorities, which identify sports betting integrity alongside compliance and player protection. The programme includes focused reviews of athletes betting on their own sport and risks linked to esports markets.
The authority said the latest review will inform future guidance and supervisory priorities.
The review was followed by a separate MGA notice on 28 October, calling for heightened vigilance during the Youth Olympic Games, scheduled for 31 October–13 November 2026.
Working with the International Olympic Committee, the regulator reminded licensees to monitor betting activity, report suspicious transactions without delay and maintain a designated Sports Integrity Point of Contact.
The notice follows the MGA’s earlier World Cup betting vigilance warning, which also stressed timely reporting, internal governance and cooperation with integrity bodies.
