How to Get a Gaming Licence in Malta (MGA) — A Practical Guide

An MGA gaming licence is one of the most sought-after authorisations in iGaming — and one of the more demanding to obtain. Here is how the process actually works, and what to prepare before you apply.

Two licence categories

Malta’s framework centres on two principal licences: a B2C Gaming Service Licence for operators offering games directly to players, and a B2B Critical Gaming Supply Licence for suppliers of essential gaming software and systems. Each can cover several game types — RNG/casino games, fixed-odds betting, peer-to-peer games such as poker, and controlled skill games — under a single licence.

What the MGA assesses

Applicants go through a detailed review covering the business plan, financial projections, corporate structure and the people behind the company. Shareholders and key persons face fit-and-proper checks, and the operator must appoint key functions such as compliance, AML and data-protection roles. There are minimum share-capital requirements that vary by game type, and a positive equity position must be maintained on an ongoing basis.

The application process, step by step

In practice the path runs roughly as follows: incorporate a Maltese company and appoint your key persons; prepare a full documentation package including business plan and policies; pass the fit-and-proper assessment; and complete an independent systems audit confirming your live technical setup before going live. Incomplete documentation is the single most common cause of delay, so preparation matters more than speed.

Compliance doesn’t stop at approval

A Malta licence brings continuing obligations: regular reporting, audits, responsible-gaming and AML duties, and notifying the regulator of ownership changes. Malta’s environment is among the most actively supervised in the industry, so the licence is the start of compliance, not the end of it.