Gaming Act
The Gaming Act (Cap. 583) is Malta's framework statute for gaming services and products, in force since 1 August 2018. It establishes the Malta Gaming Authority and its power to grant authorisations (licences, approvals, recognition notices); the specific B2C and B2B licence categories the MGA actually issues are set by regulations made under Art. 12 of this Act.
At a glance
| Official title | Gaming Act1 |
|---|---|
| English title | Gaming Act |
| Citation | Cap. 583 |
| Jurisdiction | Malta |
| Type | act |
| Adopted | 2018-05-24 |
| In force from | 2018-08-01 |
| Status | in force |
Full text
Official full text: Gaming Act (PDF, en)1 · 495 KB · file checked 2026-09-24 · consolidated version of 2023-06-16
Official page: legislation.mt1 · archived copy
Summary
The Gaming Act (Cap. 583), in force since 1 August 2018 (gaming-premises/device provisions from 1 January 2019), governs gaming services and products provided from and within Malta and establishes the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) as regulator. It is a framework/enabling act: it sets the MGA's objectives, governance, functions and powers (including granting any 'licence, approval, recognition or other authorisation'), defines core concepts such as gaming service, gaming supply (material/critical/ancillary), and 'recognition notice' (mutual recognition of an EU/EEA authorisation), and empowers the Minister to make regulations establishing the actual categories of authorisation, their requirements, grant, renewal, suspension and revocation. It covers protection of minors and vulnerable persons, players' rights (fund safeguarding, complaints, collective proceedings), enforcement and criminal/administrative sanctions, financial provisions (fees, gaming tax, the Social Causes Fund), and administrative review before the Authority and courts.
Summary written by the Atlas from the official text; the law itself prevails.
Main articles
- Art. 1: Short title and commencement: in force from 1 August 2018, with gaming-premises/device provisions from 1 January 2019.
- Art. 2: Defines 'authorisation', 'recognition notice', 'critical/ancillary gaming supply' and other core terms.
- Art. 7: Authority's functions, including granting any licence, approval, recognition or other authorisation and imposing sanctions.
- Art. 8: Secrecy of confidential information disclosed to the Authority; permitted disclosures (police, courts, other regulators).
- Art. 11: Minister's power to give directions in the public interest and to grant casino/National Lottery concessions.
- Art. 12: Minister may make regulations establishing categories of authorisation and the conditions for their grant, renewal, suspension and revocation.
- Art. 13: It is an offence to carry on an activity requiring authorisation, or to promote/facilitate it, without one.
- Art. 14: Protection of minors: prohibits offering regulated games to minors; casinos may not admit Maltese citizens under 25.
- Art. 19-20: Operators must safeguard player funds; players may bring collective proceedings to recover funds owed.
- Art. 23-25: Enforcement and sanctions: criminal fines of EUR10,000-500,000 (higher for recidivists) or up to 5 years' imprisonment, plus administrative penalties by agreement up to EUR500,000 per infringement.
- Third Schedule: Lists the criminal offences against the Act that attract the Art. 23 penalties.
Licences it governs
Regulators that apply it
Sources
- legislation.mt: 583 · retrieved 2026-09-24
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