Malta

Malta is an island state washed by the Mediterranean Sea. It is considered to be one of the largest and most developed centres of the gambling industry. This is the first European country to start issuing official licenses to gambling operators. Today, taxes from the gambling market bring about 80 million euros a year to the public treasury.

You can become the owner of Malta-licensed casinos in 2 ways: independently study the legal norms of the Malta Gambling Act, correctly register and file an application and wait for the results of the verification of a gaming site or order the project implementation from 2WinPower.

Our team of specialists is ready to deal with all the legal aspects — from the preparation of a package of documents to the organisation of a representative office in the offshore territory.

Casino in Malta: Advantages of Offshore Licensing

Setting up your own gambling company with a certificate of the European jurisdiction gives operators the following benefits:

• impeccable reputation;
• tight deadlines for the procedure;
• Malta-licensed casinos automatically receive the status of an international enterprise;
• Maltese regulators issue permits for all types of gambling;
• high guarantees of security;
• the lack of restrictions on the opening of bank accounts in the offshore territory;
• tax advantages;
• the service of fast and free transfer of a foreign business to Malta;
• a simplified system for getting a residence permit.

An important feature is that in Malta, casinos are not the only type of legal activity: investors can register trusts and holdings and create affiliate networks and other types of business relationships. Moreover, the offshore zone does not limit the technical capabilities of operators: in such a country, you can open land-based locations and launch websites with slot machines and mobile gambling applications.

Legal rules of the Malta Gambling Act

The republic is the oldest country that issues gambling certificates. For example, the lottery business has legally existed since the end of the 17th century.

• The first legislative provision on universally available draws was adopted in 1922 (since that time, the industry has gained the status of a state monopoly).
• In 1934, the jurisdiction has legalised betting on dog and horse racing.
• 1958 — the beginning of the era of casino licensing.
• The legal provisions of the Malta Gambling Ordinance were modernised at the end of the 20th century: in 1998, the Gambling Law was adopted, which determined the parameters of the operation of land-based casinos.
• In 2001, the lottery-related law came into force. It combined most of the previously existing provisions. In 2004, the Remote Gambling provision was introduced, the aim of which was to provide control over the virtual market.

At the moment, the gambling business in Malta is controlled by the only independent agency — the Gambling Jurisdiction Service (a reorganised Lottery and Game Management Service). The institution determines the legal rules for all types of casino games for money, except for binary options (this industry is controlled by the Office of the Financial Services of the offshore zone).

Malta-Licensed Online Casino: Types of Gambling Permits

Foreign investors and local entrepreneurs can receive 4 types of licenses:

1. Certificate of the I class. The permit can be applied to Maltese casinos with video emulators that are based on RNG technology (slot machines, card games, desktop entertainment, etc., and all products are of good quality). The period of validity is 5 years.
2. The license of the II category. The document regulates the work of bookmakers. The permit can be applied to all types of online betting services.
3. Permit of the III class. The certificate gives the right to open poker rooms, organise lotteries, and other entertainment based on the interaction between gamblers.
4. Document of the IV category. This license is granted to B2B-oriented operators (hardware and software supplies, hosting management, etc.).

Maltese Casino: Conditions for the Acquisition of a Certificate

To launch an online casino in Malta, operators must take the following steps:

• Registration of the company. A representative office must be opened in the offshore territory, and it is also necessary to create a telephone line at the stated address.
• Translation of documents. All documentation for a casino with a Maltese license must be translated in English and sent to the authorised body.
• Provision of information on employees. Together with information on the project owners, a package of documents with resumes, copies of passports, certificates of clean records, and letters of reference of the hired personnel are submitted.
• Creation of a business plan. It is necessary to provide a detailed description of the project and a forecast of its work, as well as financial and marketing strategies.
• Provision of the technical documentation. It is possible to obtain a permit in Malta only after you provide the information on security systems, anti-virus programs, data storage services, and software certificates.

Gambling in Malta: the Cost of Casino Licensing

To own an online casino in Malta, entrepreneurs will have to pay the following amounts of money:

Tax Rate

The size of commission charges depends on the type of the obtained license:

• A casino with the Maltese license of the I class is subject to a fee of 4,600 euros (monthly in the first year and a half and 7 thousand euros each subsequent month).
• Holders of the II class certificate deduct 0.5% of the total number of bets to the public treasury.
• Holders of the III category license are charged 5% of the total revenue of the online service annually.
• Operators with permits of the IV category are tax-exempt in the first 6 months of work. In the next 2 quarters, the fee is 2,330 euros per month, then the fee increases to 4,600 euros per month.

Conclusion

Casinos with a Malta license have a great opportunity to enter the market with an unblemished reputation. The authorities of this offshore zone suggest that investors make use of a wide range of advantages — from a stable economic environment to a reduced tax rate and assignment of international status to gambling locations.

For any questions related to the legalisation of business, contact 2WinPower. We provide professional consulting services and full legal support: assistance in the collection of documents, registration of legal status, the opening of a representative office on the territory of a selected offshore jurisdiction, and conclusion of agreements with the world’s leading suppliers.

Become the owner of a legal gambling project right now! Contact us:

• by e-mail: [email protected]
• on Skype: twowinpower
• in Telegram: @Win2Power
• via the feedback form.