One in four flagged to Gaming Authority board failed fit and proper test in 2024
The MGA’s fit and proper assessment rejected 16 individuals on integrity grounds
One in every four people flagged to the Malta Gaming Authority's due diligence board throughout 2024 failed its fit and proper test, according to the Authority’s 2024 annual report.
The fit and proper test assesses whether individuals involved in the gaming sector are suitable to hold a licence or occupy a senior position within the industry.
The test evaluates a person’s honesty, integrity, and reputation, examining whether they have been subject to criminal investigation or a civil lawsuit, among other factors.
It also seeks to assess whether a person has the appropriate skills and experience “to act with honesty and integrity” and whether their personal finances are in order.
The report says the authority regularly carries out suitability checks, flagging any potentially concerning cases to its fit and proper committee. Nearly 1,200 of these checks were carried out in 2024.
Of the 64 decisions taken by the fit and proper committee last year, 16 “did not meet the fit and proper criteria”. A further 19 were referred for further consideration, with 21 passing the test outright.
The authority said it issued 17 new licences last year, bringing the total number of active licences to 323, three short of the previous year and a sharp drop from the 358 licences held in 2022.
The number of applications for new licences has also dropped over the past few years, dipping from 41 in 2022 to 28 today.
However, employment in the sector has continued to increase, the report shows, with over 14,300 people now working in the sector, the vast majority of them working with online, rather than land-based, operators.
The authority’s fit and proper test is one of a raft of monitoring activities it carries out, the report shows.
Of the 30 decisions issued by its supervisory council, which evaluates gaming licencing applications, 26 were approved, with just two applications turned down.
Two other applications are pending.
The authority’s enforcement arm has also been busier than in previous years, issuing 35 warnings throughout 2024, more than in each of the previous two years, as well as 25 administrative penalties amounting to a total of €306,000.
Meanwhile, eight gaming licences were cancelled as a result of breaches, with a further two being suspended.