DraftKings awarded Malta Skill Games License

y fantasy sports giant DraftKing has just secured a new gaming licence from the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), under a Skill Games regulatory framework introduced by the Island nation last year.

Last year, Malta exempted DFS from requiring a gambling license. Today, MGA announced that its new Skill Games Regulations were now in force, and that DFS fell under its definition of “controlled skill games”.

The new amendments to the regulation introduces a series of integrity and player protection controls for operators, as well as a 5% gross gaming revenue tax.

The license will allow the provider to expand its operations into other European jurisdictions, with Germany being the first, as confirmed by DraftKings Chief International Officer Jeffrey Haas.

As Malta is part of the EU, the license from the MGA allows DraftKings to enter other jurisdictions that do not specifically require licenses from their local regulators and have not prohibited the provision of fantasy sports offerings.

DraftKings have said that it hopes the international expansion will occur by offering contests in Malta and Germany during this year’s Q1.

“We are excited to embark on this important phase of our international expansion”, DraftKings co-founder and CEO Jason Robins commented to the Legal Sports Report. “We are pleased that Malta has recognised the need for special licensing of daily fantasy sports and other skilled based games.

“The Malta Gaming Authority is an innovative organisation and it is clear that they have put a lot of though and rigor into this process.”