One of the Malta Gaming Authority’s (MGA) commitments is to take a proactive approach in managing sports betting integrity with the aim of addressing the threats posed by match-fixing and malicious sports betting. In this regard, the Authority’s Sports Betting Integrity department continuously seeks ways of improving monitoring and reporting capabilities across the wider Maltese sports betting sector. In that light, the Authority’s Sports Betting Integrity department has the below updates to share.
On 1 October 2021, the Authority implemented the following changes:
Updating of the Suspicious Betting Reporting Requirements
- The Authority has revised the Suspicious Betting Reporting Requirements and commencing from 1 October 2021 the requirements now include licensees that offer a critical gaming supply relating to betting on sports events. This means that now, both licensees that offer a gaming service and/or a critical gaming supply relating to betting on sports events must notify the Authority of any instance relating to suspicious betting.
- The Sports Betting Integrity department started alerting its licensees with any knowledge of suspicious betting activity in its possession. Without revealing the source of the information, the Authority started informing its licensees of any instances of suspicious betting activity in relation to any event that has been adverted by such.
How does this new alerting process help the Operator?
- Ensures that MGA licensed operators are aware of suspicious betting activities known within the MGA’s radar.
- Allows MGA licensed operators to review their own monitoring systems and verify that they have not been subject to similar activities.
- Increases awareness of suspicious betting risks being faced across the Maltese betting sector.
How does this new alerting process help the Authority?
- Better and wider monitoring of suspicious betting activity taking place within the Maltese betting sector.
- Holistic review and evaluation of the sports betting risks faced by the sector at large.
- Allows for a more informed Maltese betting sector, further bridging together the Authority and its licensees in their collective fight against corruption in sports and sports betting.
The Authority’s Sports Betting Integrity department reminds all interested parties to continuously refer to the Guidance Paper on the Suspicious Betting Reporting Requirements & Other Sports Integrity Matters for direction on all matters relating to the Authority’s sports integrity endeavours and the roles and responsibilities of its licensees.
The Authority also welcomes all who are interested to know more about the department’s role in safeguarding the integrity of sports and sports betting to contact them via email.