The upcoming UK Gambling Act may be a loss to the UK but is a major gain to Malta. On September 1st the new legislation will take effect and it looks like the island nation is the big winner attracting a number of big online gambling sites.There has been a tremendous influx of applications for licensing from online gaming sites trying to relocate their companies to Malta.
Intercasino, William Hill, Playboy Casino and Virgin Games are just some of the big names in online casino and online poker setting up their main offices in Malta this month.
Why Malta? The UK Gambling Act will start to allow gambling companies to advertise within the UK. The condition is they have to be based in the European Economic Area, within a white-list area or have the Gambling Commission approval. Malta fits right in, and the gambling industry seems to have noticed.
Presently there are 84 online gaming companies licensed on the island. Maltese authorities have 36 gaming companies they have yet to respond to their applications and 76 others have have been sent a letter of intent.
“Malta’s becoming the natural hub of online gaming,” Mario Galea, chief executive of the Lotteries Gaming Authority stated.” Our regulations are very much in line with the EU’s, and we have shown that we are capable of protecting operators – so it won’t be long before the physical operations move to Malta.”
The UK Gambling Act effectively revamps laws that date back to 1845. It covers every form of gambling in the UK from the higher end casinos to the smallest arcade rooms. It will allow for more regional casinos, bigger slot machine payouts and different rules concerning bingo rooms, all of which accounted for billions of dollars to the UK economy in 2006.
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