MGA Stamps Memorandum of Understanding with Malta Police Force

The exchange of information regarding illegal gambling activities in Malta has been reinforced as the country’s official gaming authority (MGA) decided to sign a Memorandun of Understanding with the Police Task Force or MPF for short.

Thanks to the newly formed partnership, both agencies will strengthen undertakings related to illicit gaming operations, including seizure of property and online investigation. According to the chief executive at MGA, Heathcliff Farrugia, the police will also be supported with assistance in prosecuting the offenders:

“This Memorandum of Understanding will continue to strengthen the good relationship there is between the MGA and the MPF. Apart from having a closer collaboration, through this MOU, both parties are also agreeing to share their respective knowledge and to formally provide technical training to each other.

This agreement is testament to the ongoing efforts of the two entities in continuing their fight against illegal gaming activities in Malta.”

Continued Fight Against Illegal Gambling

The beneficial partnership between MPF and MGA is a good testament that the “ever-changing complex world” as commissioner, Lawrence Cutajar, has stated, needs newly established, solid partnerships with both government agencies and NGOs in order to “ensure effective law enforcement.”

Cutajar also added the following:

“The signing of this MOU with the MGA is one in a string of initiatives which the Malta Police Force under my charge has embarked upon over the past months aimed at combating criminality in general whilst it goes to show our strong commitment to tackle two of the most challenging crime categories, namely financial and computer-related crime.”

Attendance at GREF

At this year’s GREF conference (Gaming Regulators European Forum), which was held in Limassol (Cyprus), the Malta Gaming Authority also explored boundaries between gambling and financial regulations.

Apart from the main theme, other topics included alternative payment methods, payment blocking measures, virtual currencies and so on.

Carl Brincat, MGA’s chief legal counsel, held a debate about virtual assets and gambling regulations, mostly relating to “MGA’s sandbox framework for the acceptance of Virtual Financial Assets and the use of the Distributed Ledger Technology within the gaming industry.”

Brincat was supported by another two senior analysts, Gerd Sapiano and Nicholas Warren, who expressed their opinion on private financial services and blockchain technology.

Since the beginning of May, the MGA has suspended only one operator, M-Hub Gaming Operations Ltd, directing it to stop all gaming operations, including player registration or accepting new deposits. One month earlier, the Authority has discontinued the license of Wish Me Luck Ltd, an operator with a B2C gaming service permission.

Source:

“MGA signs cooperation deal with Malta Police”, gamingintelligence.com, May 22nd, 2019.