Malta Gaming Authority records 74% increase in remote licences
Authority’s H1 interim report reveals industry paid €13.3m in taxes and employment rose by 4%
The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) reported a 73.8% year-on-year increase in the number of licences it issued to remote gambling companies in H1 2017.
According to the authority’s H1 interim report, 73 licences were issued during the six-month period and 25 were terminated upon the operators’ request.
The MGA said the figures were proof it had “re-established its position in attracting new investment in the sector”.
A total of 119 licence applications were submitted, bringing the overall number of licensed companies up to 558 in June 2017.
The authority also issued 10 controlled skill game licences for B2C operators during the six-month period after initially introducing the new offering in January.
Elsewhere, the Maltese government reaped €13.3m in tax from the remote gambling sector during H1.
The total number of employees in the industry rose by 4% to 5,542.
Back in July, the MGA announced a major overhaul of its regulatory framework, with the intention of making the authority more agile.
The current four-tier licensing structure will be removed in favour of a simplified system that will see firms apply for either a B2B or B2C licence.