MGA revokes Betago’s gambling license
Multiple breaches of regulations have forced the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) to revoke the gambling license of online operator Betago. The former federal gambling authority of Germany had issued the sports betting license to the operator in February 2021, but the operator’s sites in Germany are no longer functional.
Betago has the option to appeal but must ensure customer funds are available for withdrawal in the meantime. ©Erik Mclean/Unsplash
Betago had secured federal retail and online sports betting licenses in Germany, besides being licensed by the MGA. However, after breaching three sections of the MGA’s directives, the operator has lost its gambling license. The first violation came in section 9 (1) (c) of the code, which saw Betago not comply with the obligations put in place by the regulator. The second violation involved section 9 (1) (d), in which Betago again failed to comply with the code by not discharging operational commitments. The third and final section that was violated was section 9 (1) (l). This happened because Betago failed to pay the regulator a certain amount that was due.
Betago will likely appeal, but must return player funds in the interim
After noting these serious breaches, the MGA reached a conclusive decision to revoke Betago’s license with immediate effect. However, the operator can appeal this decision under the nation’s article 43 of the Gaming Act. Betago is no longer licensed to operate in Malta and other countries that categorise operators with a Maltese gambling license under legitimate operators. Betago has to cease all its operations, barring a few that involved players from Malta. The regulator has ordered the operator to keep its website live until all transactions are complete. The players must receive a refund of the amount they have not used, while others whose credited amounts are still in the process must receive those funds before all operations cease.
After the revocation, Betago has been taken off the list of operators that are licensed to operate in Germany. Apart from this elimination from Germany’s whitelist, the operator’s domains have gone down as well. Both domains – betago.de and betago.com – have been taken down or are inaccessible. However, Betago is not the only operator that has lost its license in Malta. Last week, the global mobile iGaming operator Genesis Global got its license revoked by the MGA after breaching one section of the nation’s gambling law. Genesis Global has about 20 casino brands in its portfolio. The Malta-based operator has offices in Gdansk, Poland and Gibraltar.
Other licenses that were revoked by the MGA last year
In 2022, the MGA was actively fighting against illegal operators trying to make their way into the country and targeting Maltese nationals. However, that was only part of the battle. After announcing the list of unlicensed operators in the country, the MGA also cracked down on licensed operators that were not abiding by the gambling laws.
On 29th November 2022, the MGA cancelled licenses of three operators with immediate effect. Morpheus Games, M-Hub Gaming C4 Limited and eGaming Lab Limited lost their licenses due to multiple breaches in regulation. Morpheus Games violated three sections of the code, while M-Hub Gaming C4 Limited and eGaming Lab Limited each violated four sections of the MGA’s gambling directives.
