The Malta Gaming Authority has published a position paper on digital games of skill for which a prize is offered.

The paper follows a public consultation process and an assessment of the feedback received.

The position paper, which can be accessed here, seeks to clarify the authority’s stand and approach on several types of games available which may include elements of skill, and details the authority’s regulatory policy into the proposed overhaul of gaming legislation.

The authority believes that skill games (with prize) but without or with a negligible element of chance, should not be subjected to licensing requirements.

However, skill game operators and their gaming activities should fall under the governance and regulatory competence of the authority and be subject to certain standards and monitoring to ensure a safe and fair environment for consumers.

Games the outcome of which was mainly accidental and influenced significantly by the skill of the player, and which were licensable under the present gaming framework, should still be subject to a licensing requirement, but this should reflect the risk posed by such operation and must be distinguished from games of chance.

Regulatory intervention should not go beyond what was necessary to ensure a safe and fair environment for consumers, free from criminal activity, the authority said.