Published
OnlineLegal & RegulatoryIndustry

MGA begins first phase of investigation into Italian licensee holders

The

maltagamingauthority
Malta Gaming Authority has launched an investigation into all of its current Italian licensees that may be potentially linked to organised crime.

According to sources close to the authority told Gambling Compliance earlier this week that this investigation is the first phase of a much larger probe into all of the Italian businesses based in the region.

The news follows an influx of police activity that has been targeting illegal online gambling operations.

Last week, Joseph Cuschieri, Chairman of the Malta Gaming Authority explained that he wanted to work on a collaboration with Italy’s Anti-Mafia Commission and any other authority that “needs to know the activity of Italian gaming operators in Malta”.

Prior to these comments, the MGA suspended the license of Phoenix International Ltd, which operated multiple gambling sites linked to Benedetto Bacchi, who is otherwise known as Italy’s ‘Betting King’. Bacchi was later arrested in an Italian police anti-Mafia action dubbed Game Over.

It came to light that Bacchi had been operating a network of data transmission centres that were linked to Malta-based sites, which in turn allowed him to avoid Italian gaming authorities and thus he would not have to pay local taxes.

Cuschieri explained to local media that “the press and the Italian public opinion have a suspicious attitude towards our gaming operators” despite the fact that the MGA has “very serious and transparent rules”. Nonetheless, he alluded to the fact that the MGA lacked “the investigation tools that the police and the judiciary have.”
Premium+ Connections
Premium

Revsharks

 
Premium

RISK

 
Premium

Imagine Live

 
Premium

Lynon

 
 
Premium

1xBet Partners

 
Premium

PIN-UP Partners

 
Premium

Digitain

 
Premium

Galaxsys

 
Premium

GammaStack

 
Premium

Sport Generate

 
Premium Connections
Consultancy

SCCG Management

Executive Profiles
Zeal Network SE

Stefan Tweraser

VIP Play

Les Ottolenghi

Scientific Games

Keshav Pitani

Social & App

Spribe CEO exclusive: Simplicity is the foundation

Spribe CEO David Natroshvili speaks to Gambling Insider abou...

Redefining iGaming: A history of crash games

Crash games is a growing vertical that has taken gambling by...

A certain something: What makes crash games special?

Crash games. They’re simple, they’re easy to learn and,...

Smarter innovation to shape the future

Spribe CCO Giorgi Tsutskiridze discusses the past, present a...

Facing Facts: The corner of quarterly contemplation

With Q1 reports out across the industry, Gambling Insider co...

Taking Stock: A guide to key stock prices across the industry

Gambling Insider tracks prices from some of the industry’s...

15 years of Gambling Insider: From the Founders

Over the last 15 years, Gambling Insider magazine has interv...

15 years of Gambling Insider: The Awards over time

Global Gaming Awards Event Manager Mariya Savova gives us he...