Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) Licence: What It Means for Crypto Casino Players

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) is the regulator that licenses and supervises gambling businesses from Malta, an EU member state. An MGA licence means an operator passed fit-and-proper, financial and technical checks and must follow Malta’s player protection and anti-money-laundering rules. It does not mean the casino may legally serve every country, and none of the crypto casinos on our current lists holds an MGA licence, so this page explains the regime rather than promoting MGA brands.

Below we cover who issues the licence and under which law, the licence and game types, how to check a licence yourself in under two minutes, what to do if you have a dispute, and how the MGA treats cryptocurrency deposits. For the regulators behind most crypto casinos today, see our guides to the Curaçao Gaming Authority licence, the Anjouan licence and the Tobique Gaming Commission.

Who issues an MGA licence and under which law

The MGA is a public authority set up under Maltese law. Its current framework rests on the Gaming Act, Chapter 583 of the Laws of Malta, which replaced the older Remote Gaming Regulations in a 2018 overhaul. Detailed rules sit in subsidiary legislation and in MGA directives, for example the Gaming Authorisations and Compliance Directive (Directive 3 of 2018) and the Player Protection Directive (Directive 2 of 2018).

Anti-money-laundering supervision is shared: licensed operators count as subject persons under Malta’s anti-money-laundering regulations, and the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU) sets the AML rules they follow. In practice this is why MGA casinos verify identity and source of funds more strictly than many offshore crypto sites.

The two MGA licence types

Since 2018 the MGA issues two main authorisations instead of the old four classes. A standard licence runs for 10 years, according to the MGA.

B2C licence numbers follow the pattern MGA/B2C/number/year, for example MGA/B2C/1055/2024. A casino footer that shows only “Licensed in Malta” without a number and a company name gives you nothing to check.

Game types 1 to 4

Each licence lists the game types the holder may offer. One licence can cover several types.

• Type 1: games of chance played against the house, such as casino games, live casino, lotteries and secondary lotteries.
• Type 2: fixed-odds betting, including live betting.
• Type 3: games where the operator takes a commission rather than playing against the customer, such as pool betting, betting exchanges, peer-to-peer poker and bingo.
• Type 4: controlled skill games, for example fantasy sports.

Main requirements for an MGA-licensed casino

Getting and keeping the licence is expensive and slow compared with offshore regimes. The MGA’s application process checks:

• Ownership and people: fit-and-proper checks on shareholders, directors and key function holders, including source of wealth.
• Company presence: a Maltese or EU/EEA legal entity with the required share capital and governance.
• Business plan and finances: projections, funding proof and segregation of player funds.
• Technical setup: a system review before go-live and audits afterwards, covering the gaming system, random number generation and data logging.
• Compliance functions: AML, responsible gambling and complaint procedures documented and staffed.

Licensees then report to the MGA on an ongoing basis. The regulator publishes suspensions and cancellations in its Enforcement Register, so a licence that was valid last year can be gone today.

How to verify an MGA licence step by step

1. Scroll to the casino’s footer and note three things: the company name, the licence number (MGA/B2C/…) and the domain you are on.
2. Open the official MGA Licensee Register at mgalicenseeregister.mga.org.mt, or use the URL Checker linked from the MGA’s Player Hub.
3. Search by company name or by the website URL. The register lets you filter by licence status and gaming service.
4. Confirm that the status is active, that the licence covers Type 1 (casino) games, and that the exact domain you are using is listed.
5. Check the MGA’s Unauthorised URLs page. It lists sites that falsely claim an MGA licence; in September 2026 alone it added clone domains aimed at Australia, Canada, Poland and the Czech Republic.

A clickable seal is not proof on its own. Copy-cat sites reuse logos, so the register entry for the domain is what counts. We apply the same check to every brand we list; see how we rate casinos.

Complaints: what the MGA does and does not do

Start with the operator. MGA licensees must run an internal complaints procedure and tell you how to escalate. If the answer does not satisfy you, the MGA says you may refer the complaint to its Player Support Unit or to another Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) entity.

There is a catch that many casino review sites miss. Since 1 April 2019 the Player Support Unit no longer rules on individual disputes. You can still use the MGA’s “Lodge a Complaint” form to report an operator that you think acts unlawfully or unfairly, and the MGA reviews cases in English or Maltese, but a binding decision on your own money comes from the ADR entity the operator names, for example eCOGRA. Keep screenshots, transaction IDs and the full chat or email history before you escalate.

What an MGA licence protects, and what it does not

Self-exclusion at an MGA casino blocks gambling on that site, and the MGA notes that funds held on the account are not forfeited and can still be withdrawn. You can also read our responsible gambling page for tools that work across sites.

Bill 55 and the EU court

Malta added Article 56A to the Gaming Act in 2023 (often called Bill 55). It lets Maltese courts refuse to enforce foreign judgments against MGA licensees where the licensed activity is lawful in Malta. Reports say the European Commission opened infringement proceedings with a letter of formal notice in June 2025. On 16 April 2026 the Court of Justice of the EU ruled in case C-440/23 that member states may ban online casino games or require their own licence, that a Malta licence does not replace a German one, and that the validity of the player contract is a matter for national law. For players in countries with their own licensing system, an MGA licence is therefore not a free pass.

MGA rules on crypto deposits

MGA licensees may accept virtual financial assets (VFAs) only inside the regulator’s sandbox framework. The MGA’s own FAQ sets the limits: players must be able to set a separate deposit ceiling for crypto that is distinct from their fiat limit, and during the sandbox a licensee may not accept crypto deposits from a player above the equivalent of €1,000 per month.

That cap is the main reason most Bitcoin-first casinos are not licensed in Malta. Crypto-first casinos such as BitStarz (Curaçao Gaming Authority) or Stake, hold Curaçao, Anjouan or Tobique licences instead. If you value the stricter oversight, expect a low monthly crypto deposit ceiling, fuller KYC before your first withdrawal, and games without the in-house provably fair originals many crypto sites run; read our provably fair guide to see what those originals offer.

MGA compared with other casino licences

For the full UK picture, see our UK Gambling Commission guide, or browse all regulators on the licences hub.

Malta Gaming Authority licence FAQ

Is an MGA licence good for players?

It is one of the stricter licences: player funds must be segregated, systems are audited and operators must offer limits, self-exclusion and an ADR route. It does not make a casino legal in every country, and it caps crypto deposits at the equivalent of 1,000 euro per player per month under the MGA sandbox.

How do I check if a casino has an MGA licence?

Note the company name, licence number (MGA/B2C/…) and domain from the casino footer, then search the official MGA Licensee Register at mgalicenseeregister.mga.org.mt. The licence must be active, cover casino games and list the exact domain. Also check the MGA’s Unauthorised URLs page for clone sites.

Can the MGA get my money back from a casino?

Not directly. Since 1 April 2019 the MGA Player Support Unit no longer rules on individual disputes. Complain to the casino first, then take the case to the ADR entity the operator names, such as eCOGRA. You can still report misconduct through the MGA’s Lodge a Complaint form.

Do MGA casinos accept Bitcoin?

Some may, but only inside the MGA’s virtual financial asset sandbox. Licensees must let players set a separate crypto limit and may not accept more than the equivalent of 1,000 euro in crypto deposits per player per month.

How long is an MGA licence valid?

A standard MGA licence is issued for 10 years. The MGA can suspend or cancel it earlier and publishes those actions in its Enforcement Register.

Which crypto casinos on this site have an MGA licence?

None as of October 2026. The brands on our lists hold Curaçao Gaming Authority, Anjouan or Tobique Gaming Commission licences, and each review names the licence number and how to verify it.