Malta Gaming Authority licence: what an MGA licence means, how to check it and how to spot a fake

Malta Gaming Authority licence: the short answer

A Malta Gaming Authority licence is an authorisation from the MGA, Malta's gambling regulator, to provide gaming services from Malta. It is issued under Malta's Gaming Act and comes with detailed rules on player protection, advertising, compliance and dispute resolution. For players it offers a searchable register, a public enforcement record and a formal complaint channel. It still does not make any casino legal to offer to Australians.

What the MGA framework covers

The MGA's framework has three layers. The Gaming Act empowers the authority. Regulations made under it set the main rules, including separate regulations for authorisations, player protection, commercial communications (advertising), compliance and enforcement, licence fees and gaming tax. Directives then fill in the detail; the 2018 set includes a Player Protection Directive and an ADR Directive on alternative dispute resolution.

The framework keeps changing. On 30 September 2026 the MGA announced that Malta's revised VAT and gaming tax frameworks for the sector would take effect on 1 October 2026. And the authority uses its powers: on 28 September 2026 it announced it had suspended the authorisation of Condor Malta Limited.

The MGA licenses businesses across the supply chain, not only casinos. Evolution's live casino games, for example, come from Evolution Gaming Malta Limited, licensed by the MGA under number MGA/CRP/187/2010/01. Evolution's own list of licences does not include Australia, which is a useful reminder that an MGA-licensed supplier is not licensed here either.

How to check an MGA licence

The MGA makes checking straightforward:

1. Note the details. Find the operating company's name and the MGA licence number in the site's footer or terms.
2. Search the Licensee Register. On mga.org.mt, search by licensee name, authorisation status, URL or gaming service. Searching by URL is the strongest check, because it tells you whether the website you are actually using is covered.
3. Check the status. An authorisation can be suspended, as the MGA did to one licensee in September 2026. Look at the status, not just the name.
4. Look at the Enforcement Register. It lists the MGA's latest enforcement actions, so you can see whether the licensee has been penalised.
5. Check the Unauthorised URLs list. If the site appears there, its MGA claim is false.

A logo in a footer proves nothing on its own. Our casino licence check guide covers the same method for every regulator.

Fake MGA licences on Australian-facing sites

Because the MGA name carries weight, sites borrow it. The MGA's Unauthorised URLs list names websites that refer to an MGA licence the authority never issued. It says it has no connection with them, that any reference to an MGA licence on those domains "is false and misleading", and that unlicensed entities are unregulated and risky for consumers.

The list is updated often. In September 2026 the MGA added several domains whose names include "au" or "aud", addresses that look aimed at Australian players. We do not link to them. If a casino aimed at Australians shows an MGA badge, a URL search on the register will tell you whether the claim is real. Our guide to online casino scams lists the other red flags that usually come with a fake licence.

Complaints to the MGA

The MGA runs a formal complaint form for players with a dispute against an MGA-licensed operator. Key points from the MGA's own instructions:

• it reviews cases submitted in English or Maltese
• it strongly recommends trying to resolve the dispute with the operator's support and management before lodging a complaint
• it may ask for identification, and rejects complaints with fictitious details, threats or abusive language
• information is treated as confidential under its privacy policy

That is a real advantage over regulators that refuse to look at individual cases. But it only helps if the operator is genuinely MGA-licensed, which is another reason to check the register before you deposit. For a step-by-step approach to disputes, see how to complain about an online casino.

What an MGA licence means for Australians

The Malta licence regulates the operator under Maltese law. It cannot authorise offering online pokies, blackjack, roulette or other casino games to people in Australia, which the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 prohibits. ACMA blocks illegal gambling websites regardless of where they are licensed, and BetStop does not cover offshore casinos. Some casino terms we have reviewed also say games from NetEnt, whose operator holds an MGA licence, are unavailable in Australia.

If you are comparing offshore licences, see the Kahnawake gaming licence and Curacao gaming licence pages, and for the Australian rules start with gambling laws in Australia.

Related reading

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