Malta — MGA licence.
The Malta Gaming Authority is the gold standard EU iGaming licence — passportable across the EU and universally recognised by payment processors.
A considered route,
not a shortcut.
This jurisdiction rewards operators who treat the application as the start of a supervisory relationship.
When this is the right choice
When to consider an alternative
Permissions under
one Act.
Choosing the right tier and scope is the most consequential decision in the application.
B2C Gaming Service Licence
The full operator permission. Covers casino, live-casino, sportsbook, poker, lottery, and skill games for end players. Issued under four Game Type classifications matched to the operator product mix. Annual government fee: €25,000.
B2B Critical Gaming Supply Licence
For platform vendors, game studios, RNG providers, live-dealer suppliers, and payment processors supplying MGA-licensed operators. Requires full fit-and-proper assessment and technical certification.
B2B (Self-Managed Platform) Licence
For operators running their own proprietary platform software under MGA oversight. Combines B2C operational scope with direct platform accountability — treated as a B2B critical supply for the platform layer.
B2B (Certified Platform) Licence
A lighter B2B permission for non-critical suppliers — back-office, CRM, analytics, and fraud vendors interacting with MGA operators but not handling gameplay or player funds.
Phases to licence grant.
Pre-application & policy
Weeks 1—8MGA pre-application meeting completed. Corporate entity and governance structure established. Responsible gaming, AML, and technical compliance policies drafted to MGA standard.
Submission
Weeks 8—12Full application submitted to MGA including system certification, key function appointments, business risk assessment, and financial projections.
MGA review & RFI
Months 3—5MGA conducts detailed review of the application. Fit-and-proper assessment of key persons, technical compliance audit, and AML framework evaluation conducted.
Operational compliance & go-live
Months 5—6Compliance conditions resolved. Operating licence issued. Platform goes live under ongoing MGA supervision — quarterly reporting, audit obligations, and player fund protection active.
Cost and regulatory
burden.
Year-one spend is dominated by substance — resident director, office, compliance officer, external audit — not the licence fee itself.
| Cost item | Amount |
|---|---|
| GSS Legal — Basic (company + MGA application) | €44,000 one-time + €5,000/yr |
| GSS Legal — Advanced | €59,500 one-time + €5,000/yr |
| GSS Legal — Full (inc. ongoing managed compliance) | €109,500 one-time + €67,000/yr |
| MGA application fee (govt) | €5,000 |
| MGA annual B2C licence fee (govt) | €25,000/year |
| MGA compliance contribution (govt, approx.) | ~€10,000/year (0.4%–1.25% GGR) |
| Year-1 total (Basic pkg + govt fees) | From ~€85,000 |
Malta corporate tax: nominal 35%, with refund mechanisms reducing the effective rate to ~5% for trading subsidiaries. 5% gambling tax applies on net revenue from Malta-resident players only — no additional EU gaming duty on non-Malta-resident players.
What founders
ask before filing.
The questions we get on every diagnostic call. If yours isn't here, raise it in the consultation.
Tell us where
you want to
operate.
Forty-five minutes with a partner. Jurisdiction memo within seven days. No retainer required to start.
No retainer required.
