MGA categorises DFS as skill games

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has said it differentiates fantasy sports from games of chance in terms of licensing and regulation due to the element of skill and knowledge involved in the vertical.

This determination relates specifically to fantasy sports where players choose virtual representations of real-life athletes, where the value and points attributed to an athlete reflect the athletes’ performance in actual sporting events, and where the outcome is determined predominantly by skill and knowledge rather than by chance.

The Maltese Government, who has notified the European Commission of its proposed Skill Games Regulations (which will include Fantasy Sports), has in the interim published a legal notice which for the time being exempts fantasy sports operators from the requirement of a gambling license under the Lotteries and Other Games Act or Remote Gaming Regulations.

The MGA is, however, calling on fantasy sports operators to be formally recognised by the Authority with the voluntarily notification of their operations and will task them with “meeting certain general conditions applicable under general law”.

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