MGA casino license: a practical checklist for players

Malta has been licensing online gambling since the early 2000s, and its regulator, the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), is one of the best-known names in the industry. Hundreds of gaming companies have set up there, and “MGA” has become shorthand for a certain standard of regulation.

This guide doesn’t rank Malta against other places; our licensing authorities hub does that. It focuses on what an MGA licence means for you, the person holding the account.

A short timeline

• 2001: Malta’s Lotteries and Gaming Authority begins regulating remote gaming.
• 2004: Malta joins the European Union, which makes it an EU base for gaming companies.
• 2015: the regulator is renamed the Malta Gaming Authority.
• 2018: a new Gaming Act replaces the older framework and simplifies licence categories.

The 2018 reform matters most for how licences look today.

Two licence families, four game types

Under the 2018 Act, the MGA issues:

• a B2C (business-to-consumer) licence, for companies that offer games to players directly, like the casino where you hold an account;
• a B2B licence, for suppliers whose products are critical to gaming, such as game studios and platforms.

Licences also cover specific game types. In plain English: Type 1 covers games of chance played against the house with a random outcome (slots, roulette); Type 2 covers fixed-odds betting (sports); Type 3 covers games where players compete against each other and the operator takes a commission (poker rooms, for example); Type 4 covers controlled skill games.

Why should you care? Because a licence should match what the site offers. A site running a sportsbook needs the right type for it.

What the operator must do for you

Keep your money separate

MGA rules require player funds to be protected and kept apart from the company’s operating money. If the company runs into trouble, your balance isn’t supposed to be part of its assets.

Know who you are

Licensees must verify identity and run anti-money-laundering checks. That’s why you’re asked for documents, usually before your first withdrawal. It’s annoying, and it’s also a sign the operator is following rules.

Play fair

Games must be tested for fair, random outcomes, and the rules and return information must be available to you.

Offer responsible gambling tools

Licensees must provide tools such as deposit limits, and information about getting help.

What an MGA licence doesn’t tell you

• How fast withdrawals are. A licence sets rules; it doesn’t guarantee a two-hour payout.
• Whether a bonus is good value. Terms are the operator’s. Read them.
• Whether the site accepts your country. Many countries require their own local licence to serve residents. An MGA licence doesn’t override that.

MGA casino license or licence?

Same thing, two spellings. British English uses “licence” for the noun; American English uses “license”. You’ll see “MGA casino license” in searches and “MGA licence” on Maltese documents.

Check it yourself in five steps

1. Find the licence line in the footer and, if present, click the MGA logo or seal.
2. Note the company name and the licence number. MGA B2C numbers usually follow the pattern MGA/B2C/number/year.
3. Open the MGA’s public register on the regulator’s own website and search for the company or the number.
4. Compare the domains. The register entry should list, or clearly relate to, the website you’re on.
5. Check the status. Active is what you want. Suspended or cancelled is a clear stop sign.

If the footer shows an MGA logo but no company name or number, treat it as decoration until proven otherwise.

Where to play: our five reviewed casinos

The five casinos we review are listed below with their welcome offers. Whatever site you choose, the five-step check above works the same way, and so does our advice to read the bonus terms before you accept an offer.

How to complain under an MGA licence

1. Start with the operator. Use the official complaints process in the terms, and keep copies of everything: chats, emails, screenshots, dates.
2. Give it time, but not forever. If you don’t get a satisfactory answer, the MGA provides a way for players to raise complaints about licensees on its website.
3. Be specific. Quote the term the casino relied on and explain why it doesn’t apply. Vague complaints go nowhere.

Malta in context

Malta is one of several jurisdictions you’ll see in casino footers. For Curaçao, which reformed its system in 2024, see our Curaçao licence validation guide and are Curaçao casinos safe?. For the other licences we explain, see Anjouan, Kahnawake and the Isle of Man. The side-by-side comparison lives on our licensing authorities hub, and our older overview is on casino licences.

For what happens after the licence check, such as how long withdrawals take, see fast payout casinos.

Frequently asked questions

What is an MGA casino license?

A licence issued by the Malta Gaming Authority under Malta’s 2018 Gaming Act. Casinos serving players directly hold a B2C licence; suppliers hold a B2B licence.

Does an MGA licence protect my balance?

MGA rules require player funds to be protected and kept separate from the operator’s own money.

How do I check an MGA licence?

Note the company name and licence number in the footer, search the MGA’s public register on the regulator’s website, and confirm the status and website match.

Can an MGA-licensed casino accept players from any country?

No. Many countries require a local licence to serve their residents. Check the casino’s terms for accepted countries.

Can I complain to the MGA?

Yes, after using the operator’s own complaints process. The MGA provides a way for players to raise complaints about licensees.

Is it MGA license or MGA licence?

Both. Licence is British English, license American English. They mean the same thing.

18+ only. Gambling can be addictive; set limits and play for entertainment. Written on 24 September 2026.