Malta may be forced to withdraw EU sports betting veto in Financial Action Task Force review

Malta is expected to resolve the deadlock on the Macolin rules, despite the damaging effect this might have on the remote gaming industry

Malta may have to withdraw its EU sports betting veto in order for it to pass the Financial Action Task Force’s Moneyval test on the 15th of June. Back in December 2012, Malta used its veto to block an EU strategy aimed at introducing national measures to combat the manipulation of sports results.

Malta’s decision on whether it should be placed on an untrustworthy list of jurisdictions still hangs by a thread as there still remains a deadlock over Malta’s adherence to the Macolin Convention, a Council of Europe treaty directed towards addressing the control of sport.

As a member of the European Union, Malta and the MGA must adhere to the mandate of the ‘Macolin Convention’. The Macolin Convention had to be delayed due to Malta’s veto as this is what’s preventing the EC from signing it on behalf of all 28 EU member states. A ‘senior government source’ on Malta’s adherence to the Macolin Convention allegedly informed Malta Today that Maltese authorities ‘will probably have to bow our head and just get on with it’.

SiGMA Roadshow: Next stop Germany

Join us virtually for two engaging hours bursting with insightful conference content and new business opportunities. These unique, interactive, virtual mini-conferences will take place in a different country every month. The stop of this month will be Germany, join the conversation. We’ll be covering various topics from localisation of content to regulation trends. !