MGA tells licensees to be vigilant ahead of 2026 World Cup
The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has issued a notice to all licensees ahead of the 2026 World Cup, in which it called for “heightened vigilance and the timely reporting of suspicious betting activity” during the competition, which is set to begin on 11 June and continue through to 19 July.
MGA statement ahead of the 2026 World Cup
“In collaboration with FIFA, the MGA reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding the integrity of sport and betting markets and reminds licensees of their obligations under the applicable regulatory framework,” the MGA stated. It commented that the notice reinforces existing obligations related to monitoring and reporting.
The MGA continued that licensees are required to maintain enhanced monitoring of betting activity, as it added that licensees are also required to immediately report any suspicious transactions through the Suspicious Betting Reporting Mechanism.
It stated that licensees are also expected to maintain “robust internal governance arrangements, including the designation of a Sports Integrity Point of Contact, and to ensure active cooperation with the MGA Sports Integrity Unit and other relevant integrity bodies”.
The MGA remarked that “given the elevated risk environment associated with major sporting events, licensees are expected to adopt a proactive and risk-based approach throughout the tournament period”.
Failure to comply with these obligations, the Authority commented, may result in regulatory action against the offender. It referred to and cited various regulations supplementing the calls made in its statement.
For one, it said that all licensees and third parties acting on their behalf must ensure that all commercial communications comply with the Commercial Communications Regulations, including that advertising must be “socially responsible” and must not target or otherwise cause harm to minors and vulnerable persons, “whether directly or indirectly”.
It also said that licensees must operate in line with Regulation 43 of the Gaming Authorisations and Compliance Directive, as well as the Guidance Paper on Suspicious Betting Reporting Requirements and Other Sports Integrity Matters.
Regulation 43 states that licensees offering a gaming service relating to betting on sport shall notify the MGA of any instance relating to suspicious betting or in the case of any circumstances which may lead to one or more bets being voided owing to suspicion of the manipulation of the sport event in question.
Heightened vigilance around major sporting events
The World Cup is often described as the greatest sporting event around, and few events can begin to come close to the media frenzy that ensues in the run-up to the competition officially starting.
The betting industry stands out in particular as one of the markets which makes a strong advertising and promotional push each time the World Cup comes around, with major brands organising some of their most intensive and ambitious campaigns with a heavy focus on football.
With that in mind, knowing how high the stakes are and the highly concentrated amount of betting that can take place on the outcome or happenings of a match, regulatory bodies and commissions are naturally expected to ramp up their messaging to operators in an effort to combat any potential misconduct.
The MGA is not alone in its messaging, as similar statements have been issued by regulators in other jurisdictions, such as the Netherlands’ National Gambling Authority (KSA), the National Gambling Board (NGB) in South Africa, and France’s National Gaming Authority (ANJ), albeit the latter was more centred around warning of potential gambling risks.
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