The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has warned consumers about false claims about gambling licenses.
The MGA has published a notice, warning consumers about a list of sites claiming to have connections with the authority or false licenses from it. The organization has emphasized that any reference to the MGA or gaming licences said to be issued by the MGA from the listed websites is “false and misleading”.
The websites in question are:
- immediate-connect.co.uk
- pangagames.com
- casino1bet.online
- palmsbet1.com
- flexiblesport.com
- casino-europa.eu
Any links or claims to licenses from the MGA should be discounted from any of the above sites. That likely means they are operating gambling services in the country illegally.
“The MGA would like to remind consumers not to utilise services provided by an entity unless they have ascertained that the entity in question is authorised to provide such services by the MGA,” reads the statement from the gambling authority. “The gaming regulatory framework obliges authorised persons to comply with strict legal requirements in the interest of consumers.
“The activities of unlicensed entities are unregulated and do not provide the necessary safeguards delineated by virtue of the framework, making transactions with such entities risky for consumers.”
The MGA has also shared a list of licensed entities for consumers to browse here.
This comes after we reported on the Filipino online casino PHLove, which claimed it was licensed by the Maltese authority. The MGA said in a press release that it had “no connection” to the site, along with the usual warnings you see about unlicensed operators.
But when we looked through each commission’s public lists and databases, we couldn’t find any evidence that PHLove was licensed by any of them. After our report, the Philippines based watchdog PAGCOR said it had begun investigating the site. Despite this, at the time of writing, the site continues to claim that it is licensed by the authorities.
Why is it important to use licensed operators?
Gamblers should always take every step possible to ensure they’re using licensed operators to protect both themselves and others. Illegal gambling operators don’t have to take the same regulatory steps to protect users from gambling-related harm, or to safeguard any funds they’re holding for users.
This can leave gamblers vulnerable to theft, fraud, or any number of connected crimes. It could also result in the loss of personal information or financial data in some cases.
ReadWrite has reached out to the MGA for comment.
Featured image: Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
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