By means of Legal Notice 131 of 2016, Malta’s Remote Gaming Regulations have been amended.
A summary of the changes is as follows:
Average return to player
A licensee offering games using repetitively generated random selection for determining winning combinations to players shall ensure that, in accordance with the way in which the game is designed, it shall pay out on average a prize amounting at least 92% of the money or money’s worth wagered, or any such higher percentage as may be stipulated through a condition of the licence. The licensee shall take into consideration transactions occurring from the 1st of January 2015 onwards.
Information to players
The Malta Gaming Authority may additionally issue a directive regulating the manner in which licensees are required to report, certify or comply with the requirements established in this regulation, and, or exempt types or categories of games from the requirements of this regulation.
The Malta Gaming Authority may for a transitory period not exceeding 12 months from the entry into force of the new amendments exempt licensees from the provisions of this regulation.
The licensee will be required to make available and accessible to players at all times, any information relating to any commission or any fee held by the licensee, or any other fee charged to the player. This will include commission and fee held by the licensee or charged to the player.
Monitoring system
In terms of the amendments, the Malta Gaming Authority will have the right to require a licensee to connect its systems to a monitoring system (operated by the same Authority) and to maintain the connection at all times. This monitoring system will be designed to send to and receive data from the system operated by the licensee and the licensee will be obligated to modify and upgrade its systems to ensure compatibility with the monitoring system of the Malta Gaming Authority.
The type of information that will be received by the monitoring system will include information relating to games, players and financial data that is required by the Malta Gaming Authority to fulfil its objectives at law.
It will also be used to ensure compliance by the licensee with the Act and that applicable laws, legislations and regulations regarding the prevention of money laundering are being adhered to. The licensee shall ensure that its systems will comply with any standards or requirements established by the Malta Gaming Authority and to remain so compliant throughout the duration of the license. Such systems cannot be tampered, modified or re-programmed without the approval of the Malta Gaming Authority.
