MGA and UKGC join forces

Garance Limouzy October 25, 2024

SiGMA news

MGA and UKGC join forces

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) have formalised their partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) designed to improve consumer protection and ensure a safer gambling environment.

Focus areas

The MoU centres on improving the exchange of critical information and intelligence between the two regulatory bodies. This collaboration is designed to better protect consumers, prevent criminal activities, and safeguard vulnerable players from gambling-related harms.

Both regulators acknowledge the industry’s increasingly global nature, emphasising the necessity of cross-border collaboration. By pooling their resources and sharing best practices, the MGA and UKGC aim to strengthen their regulatory frameworks and tackle shared challenges more effectively.

Andrew Rhodes, CEO of the UKGC, expressed enthusiasm regarding the agreement, stating, “We welcome this agreement as a sign of our continued collaboration between the MGA and the UKGC. We’ve been working closely for some time now, and following our successful visit this summer, it is only fitting that we formalise our working relationship.”

Echoing this sentiment, Charles Mizzi, CEO of the MGA, noted the significance of this formal cooperation: “Our longstanding informal collaboration with the UKGC has already delivered meaningful outcomes, and the formalisation of this cooperation is definitely a step in the right direction. In line with our regulatory objectives, we are confident that such collaboration will allow us to address common challenges more effectively, allowing us to continuously improve on the effectiveness of our processes and framework.”

Rhodes elaborated on the potential benefits of this partnership, stating, “We are keen to continue strengthening our efforts to raise standards across the industry, tackling common challenges such as illegal gambling, while also exploring future collaboration, including initiatives like shadowing and addressing key issues in areas like AML and sports betting integrity.”

***MGA CEO Charles Mizzi (left) and UKGC CEO Andrew Rhodes (right) signing an MoU. Source: MGA.***

Regulatory mandates and missions

The UK Gambling Commission oversees most forms of gambling in Great Britain, including the National Lottery. It operates under the Gambling Act 2005, ensuring that individuals and businesses involved in gambling comply with regulations, thereby making the sector safer and fairer.

The Malta Gaming Authority is tasked with regulating various sectors of the gaming industry to ensure fairness and transparency while preventing crime and protecting minors and vulnerable players. The MGA aims to be a world-class gaming authority that implements best practices and effectively regulates a thriving gaming sector, supporting its sustainable evolution. As the primary regulatory body for gaming activities in Malta, the MGA is recognised as a preferred global remote gaming regulator. Its robust regulatory environment, combined with technical expertise, has attracted numerous operators.

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