The Malta Gaming Authority has granted Bet365, a leading online gambling company based in the UK, a sports betting licence.
It said the development raised Malta’s profile “as a gaming hub of excellence in Europe”.
“Hosting top gaming brands, as well as technological companies such as Huawei and Microsoft, adds value to the country and shows that Malta remains attractive to the big players from different economic sectors,” the authority said.
Joseph Cuschieri, the MGA’s executive chairman, said the authority was committed to addressing the ongoing evolution of the industry and the challenges this presented “with transparency, integrity and focus on consumer protection”.
“The fact that Bet365 chose to include Malta as one of its licensing jurisdictions is testimony to our reputation and encourages us to keep raising the bar in innovation and thought leadership on gaming regulation.”
Bet365 has already established a marketing company in Sliema. The Maltese office will be supplementing the company’s remote gambling operations in Gibraltar.
The local online gaming industry was shaken recently when six Italians were arrested over allegations that a number of betting companies registered in Malta were being used by the Calabrian Mafia to launder vast sums of money.
In the wake of that incident, the gaming authority suspended six gaming licences and insisted its checks and balances were rigorous.