Why would I need the
Malta MGA license?
99 times out of 100, you will not get yourself a Malta gaming license.. This can be a wrong move if you’re a startup and have no revenue yet.
This is because the Maltese license is considered a Tier 1 license and has a completely different philosophy than the Curacao or Kahnawake license. It’s also considerably more expensive than any of these licenses.
Five great questions to ask before applying for a Maltese license:
Why to choose a Maltese MGA License


Malta was the first EU state to license online gambling and has the most experience in the various areas of iGaming.
As a result they’ve built an ecosystem with a whole range of services to establish and maintain iGaming licenses in Malta with top data centers, gaming-friendly banks and EMIs, friendly PSPs and the largest affiliate networks.
Malta has the highest number of gaming professionals per capita in the world.
If you search on LinkedIn for professionals using the term “gambling” you get 7.5k people based in Malta. Considering that Malta is home to just over five hundred thousand people, the density of professionals is enormous.
In the United Kingdom, there are 49,000 people out of a population of 67.22 million! The real advantage is that the lowest corporate tax in the EU makes Malta an unbeatable location for any type of iGaming business.
In addition, Malta is only a 2-3 hour flight from all major capitals in Europe.
How is this different from a Curacao license?
When companies are looking for a license, they are usually looking for a way to connect PSPs, banks and software vendors in their chosen regions.
They want it fast, they want the process to be as simple as possible and as cheap as possible.
Such business owners do not ask too many questions about the best interests of their customers. Every day is a battle. When they win, they win. But when they lose, they still look for ways to leave customers with nothing.
When you get a Tier 2 or Tier 3 license, the only obstacle is passing the KYC (personal background check) and submitting a decent business plan.
You will most likely get the license if your background is decent and you have no criminal record. There will be no future financial audits or other mechanisms to hold you accountable over the financial year.

Malta Gambling Authority will work to make sure that your business is legit and healthy
Why not just take any other license
and not worry about the MGA?
If you want to attract investment, quality of earnings helps investors determine the true value of your business. With the audits that MGA conducts on a regular basis, it’s easy to prove to your investors that your company is a good long-term investment.
Great clients know that the Maltese license protects their best interests. They know they can win and get their money no matter what. Sharks will not even consider playing anywhere else unless the company has a Maltese, Isle of Man or any other Tier 1 license
If you want to acquire local licenses in Europe then each new license will be a breeze, as many procedures and regulations are the same in other EU countries with minor changes.
If you decide to focus on the European market and acquire multiple local licenses, a Maltese license is a good starting point. You can acquire all your licenses under the same Maltese company instead of setting up a separate company in each country.
If you plan to go public, the only way is to get a Tier 1 license first.
Although all top software providers work with Curacao license, some providers work only with Tier 1 licenses. A good example is the Betfair or any traditional bank – they’ll reject your application if you have only a Tier 2 license.
The same goes for payment system providers and banks. You can get top-notch deals if you have a Maltese license or the Isle of Man license.
What are the requirements of
a Maltese license?
You should establish substance for the purposes of tax planning
You will need a team of experienced professionals to qualify for the Malta betting license. Here is a complete list of all the positions you need to fill for the B2C license application.
An MGA representative will evaluate the applicant and the owners of the business to determine if you can run such a business.
MGA will conduct 1-on-1 interviews to assess the experience of each key person.
Each applicant goes through an enhanced due diligence process with national and international law enforcement agencies.
Your identity and that of all the key people will be verified. To pass this check, the source of funds and a police clearance are required.
You can’t have a criminal record to pass a “fit and proper” test.
Once MGA gets to know you and your team, they’ll conduct a financial and business assessment.
They want to know if you’ve the financial resources to run your business. Your business plan will be stress tested to make sure your resources fully match your ambitions
Your business plan is expected to provide a detailed financial forecast, including cash flow, profit and loss, balance sheet, marketing and sales strategies, HR and growth targets.
The MGA verifies that you’ve all the necessary tools to operate your business. They will check your incorporation documents, games, business processes related to conducting the games, rules, conditions, policies, procedures, and technical documentation of the gaming and control system.
Depending on the type of license, you may have to pay a share capital.
Companies with multiple type approvals must meet the above requirements for share capital cumulatively, up to a maximum required capping of €240,000.
This is the key point, because if you can’t meet the requirements of the first three steps, your application will be dropped and you’ll have to reapply.
The MGA checks to see if you’re in compliance and evaluates your current IT environment against the setup you described in your business plan and application.
Since both the application and the business plan passed the test long before this step, it’s important to check how things look in reality.
GLI Europe BV, iTechlabs, RSM Malta are one of the few approved system and compliance auditors.
You’ll have sixty days to complete the technical transition or your application will be dropped.
Upon successful completion of the certification process, the Authority issues a license for ten years.
An executive director and a secretary are the minimum must! Each of them must pass a KYC test.
Four different B2C licenses you can apply for:
What is the cost of the license?
The Maltese gambling license isn’t cheap. It’s like a private club where you’ve to pay to play.
It’s probably you’ll end up paying too much if someone tells you the final amount for the Malta online gambling license cost.
You have to pay incorporation fees, license fees, Professional fees, Audit associated fees.
Every business is different and your needs will be different from other Business Owners. We are helping to get a Maltese License in a shortest time possible. If you are looking for a tailor-made offer, get in touch with us through this application form.
All documents you will need for your Malta gambling license
- A police good conduct certificate dated no older than three months for each company owner and applicant
- Original bank references of all owners/applicants dated no older than three months
- Notarized copies of passports of all owners/applicants
- A detailed business plan
- A compliance and software audit
- Details of all gaming software used and third party agreements
List of all countries and areas you should stay away from.
Taxes on Malta
Business entities established in Malta are subject to tax at the standard rate of 35%.
Shareholders of companies registered in Malta are entitled to a tax refund upon the distribution of profits.
In general, the tax refund amounts to 6/7ths of the tax paid by the company resulting in a maximum effective tax rate of 5% after-tax refunds.
Taking as an example a company which
makes taxable profits of €10,000
Annual license fees
Gaming Tax (GGR)
What will you get working with LicenseGentlemen.com




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