How the Malta Gaming Authority licence works in 2026: B2C and B2B classes, the recognition notice, the certification process step by step, real costs and timelines — and what it unlocks across Europe.
MGA Licence (Malta Gaming Authority)
TL;DR: The MGA Licence is issued by the Malta Gaming Authority, one of Europe's longest-standing and most-recognised iGaming regulators, and is the default European licence for B2C operators and B2B suppliers serving multiple grey and regulated markets from a single Maltese entity.
What it means
Malta opened its remote gaming regime in 2004, becoming the first EU member state to comprehensively license online gambling. The MGA regulates four B2C licence types under the 2018 framework: Type 1 (RNG-based games of chance — slots, casino), Type 2 (fixed-odds betting), Type 3 (peer-to-peer poker, betting exchanges), and Type 4 (controlled skill games). A separate B2B Critical Gaming Supply licence covers platform, RGS, and content suppliers.
By 2026 the MGA hosts thousands of B2C and B2B operations, including most major suppliers (Pragmatic Play, Evolution Live Casino arms, Hacksaw, Push Gaming, Relax Gaming) and many B2C brands. The licence is widely accepted as a credibility marker, supports passporting and B2B contracting across the EU and globally, and gives operators access to EU banking, payment processors, and personnel.
How it's implemented
Application: 4 to 6 months typical, with corporate structure review, source-of-funds, AML / compliance frameworks, ITSM and technical audits, key-person fit-and-proper, business plan, and financial projections. Ongoing: monthly player-funds reporting, annual systems audit (independent), AML reviews, responsible-gambling monitoring, complaint handling via the Player Support Unit.
Cost: licence fee structure is tiered. Indicative ranges in 2026: €25K to €35K application + variable compliance contribution (GGR-based, capped). Effective tax: 5% gaming tax for Malta-sourced players + 35% corporate tax (mitigated via the well-known Maltese tax-refund system bringing the effective rate substantially lower).
Why it matters for operators
An MGA licence is rarely sufficient to serve a Tier-1 regulated market on its own (UK, Italy, Spain, Germany, Netherlands, France, Denmark, Sweden, Ontario, NJ, MI, PA require local licences). Its value is for grey and emerging markets where a credible EU regulator name on the footer matters to PSPs, affiliates, and players — LATAM, parts of Africa, parts of Asia, Canada outside Ontario, and historically much of Europe before national regulation expanded.
Suppliers in particular rely on MGA B2B status to contract with regulated operators in multiple jurisdictions through a single base. Malta has periodically clashed with the EU Commission on intra-EU enforcement (notably the Bill 55 dispute around foreign enforcement actions against Maltese licensees) — operators should follow the current state of that file.
Common variations / Key facts
- Founded: 2001 (predecessor LGA); current MGA Act framework since 2018
- B2C types: Type 1 RNG, Type 2 fixed-odds, Type 3 P2P, Type 4 skill
- B2B: Critical Gaming Supply licence
- Gaming tax: 5% on Malta-source GGR
- Corporate tax: 35% headline, effective rate lower via refund mechanism
- Player-funds segregation: required, with regular reporting
- Complaint mediation: MGA Player Support Unit acts as ADR
MGA licence classes and the certification path
The MGA framework distinguishes B2C licences (Gaming Service licence — casino, sportsbook, P2P) from B2B licences (Critical Gaming Supply licence for platform and game suppliers). B2B suppliers serving MGA-licensed operators can also obtain a recognition notice when already licensed in another EEA jurisdiction. The certification path typically involves: fit-and-proper checks on shareholders and key persons, a business and financial plan review, systems and compliance audits (including a post-launch systems review), and ongoing obligations — player-funds segregation, regular compliance reviews and AML reporting under Maltese and EU rules. Budget realistically for a multi-month process; the MGA publishes its application stages and fee schedule, and timelines depend heavily on the completeness of the submission.
Malta's concentration of licensed suppliers, corporate-service providers and industry events (the SiGMA flagship runs there — see our conference activation guide) is the practical reason many multi-market operators anchor their European entity on the island; our Malta market brief covers the operating environment.
Common mistakes
- Treating MGA as a passport for UK / Italy / Spain — it is not
- Failing to maintain real Maltese substance — economic-substance audits scrutinise it
- Missing annual systems-audit deadlines — sanctions and fines
- Confusing the B2C and B2B regimes when contracting
- Marketing in markets where MGA-only operation is now restricted
See also