Malta Gaming Authority licence: a guide for Canadians

Published September 24, 2026

Decoding an MGA licence number

Start with the thing you will actually see: a line in the footer such as "MGA/B2C/123/2018". It is not decoration. Each part carries information.

The example above is illustrative only. What matters is the format: if a site shows a number that does not follow it, or shows no number at all next to a Maltese flag, ask why.

Two minutes on the MGA register

1. Type mga.org.mt into your browser yourself.
2. Open the licensee register.
3. Search by company name or licence number, taken from the site's terms, not only from the footer.
4. Check the status. An MGA licence can be active, suspended or cancelled, and the register says which.
5. Open the licence entry and check the list of websites. The domain you are on must be there.

That last step catches the most common trick: a legitimately licensed company whose name is borrowed by a site it does not run. The licence covers named domains, not everything with the same logo.

Where the MGA comes from

Malta regulated online gaming early. Its Remote Gaming Regulations of 2004 made it the first EU member state with a dedicated framework for internet gambling. The regulator, known until the mid-2010s as the Lotteries and Gaming Authority, took the name Malta Gaming Authority and, with the Gaming Act of 2018, in force since August 1, 2018, moved to a simpler structure built around two licence types: B2C and B2B.

An MGA licence is granted for ten years. That long horizon is one reason the authority insists on a demanding application: ownership, source of funds, technical systems and compliance staff are all examined before a licence is issued, and supervised afterwards.

What the licence protects

• Your balance. Licensees must keep player funds separate from the company's operating money, so your deposits are not simply a line in the casino's cash flow.
• Game fairness. Games and random number generators are tested and certified before release, and changes are controlled.
• Complaints. Licensees must have a complaint procedure, and the MGA runs a Player Support unit that takes cases the operator did not resolve.
• Identity and money controls. Know-your-customer and anti-money-laundering rules apply, which is also why an MGA casino will ask for documents before paying out.

Taking a complaint to MGA Player Support

An example. A Winnipeg player's account is closed with $1,200 in it, and the only explanation is "breach of terms". Here is the route.

First, the operator's complaint process, in writing: account ID, date, amount, the exact clause they rely on, and what you are asking for. Then, if the reply is unsatisfactory or never comes, file online with MGA Player Support. Attach the correspondence and a short timeline. Player Support contacts the operator, reviews the answer against the licensee's obligations, and can escalate regulatory breaches internally.

Player Support is not a court. If the dispute is about how a bonus term was read, you may be pointed to the alternative dispute resolution entity the operator is required to name. It is worth checking which one before you deposit; it is usually in the terms.

What an MGA licence does not do

It does not make a site part of Ontario's regulated market. Several MGA licensees also serve Ontario, but through a separate registration with the AGCO and an agreement with iGaming Ontario, covered in our Ontario guide.

It does not give you a Canadian court on your side. Maltese law governs the licence, and in 2023 Malta added Article 56A to its Gaming Act, allowing its courts to refuse to enforce foreign judgments against licensees acting lawfully under Maltese rules. The article was written with European lawsuits in mind, but the principle is clear: the MGA route is the one to use, not a small-claims court in Saskatoon.

And it does not change the house edge. A European roulette wheel has 37 pockets in Valletta and in Victoria alike.

So, is an MGA casino worth choosing?

If you want a regulator with a public register, a player support desk and years of published enforcement, Malta ticks those boxes more clearly than most. Is that the factor that decides it for you, or is it the lobby and the offer? Compare with Curaçao after its reform, the Quebec-based Kahnawake Gaming Commission and Anjouan, or read the full licence overview.

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