Malta MGA B2C Gaming Service Licence: Fees, Game Types and Process

Know which game types you are applying for

Malta issues a single gaming service licence covering business-to-consumer activity, within which the Authority distinguishes four game types. Type 1 covers games of chance played against the house, such as slots and casino table games with a random outcome. Type 2 covers fixed-odds betting. Type 3 covers games where the operator takes a commission rather than carrying the risk, such as poker rake and betting exchanges. Type 4 covers controlled skill games. The types you apply for determine both your obligations and, materially, your fees.

Choose the combination deliberately. Applying for every type "in case" extends the review, increases system audit scope and raises the compliance contribution floors you will pay whether or not you use the vertical. Applying too narrowly means a variation later. Map the product roadmap for the first two years and licence for that, not for the entire theoretical catalogue.

• Type 1 — house-banked games of chance
• Type 2 — fixed-odds betting
• Type 3 — commission-based games
• Type 4 — controlled skill games

The fee structure, from the regulations

The Gaming Licence Fees Regulations set a one-time, non-refundable licence application fee of €5,000, with a €5,000 fee again on renewal. A licensee then pays two separate things: a non-refundable fixed annual licence fee of €25,000 — reduced to €10,000 for operators providing solely Type 4 services — payable in advance for the twelve months following issue and on each anniversary, plus a compliance contribution calculated on gaming revenue for each licence period.

The compliance contribution is tiered and differs sharply by game type. Type 1 begins at 1.25% on the first €3,000,000 of gaming revenue and falls through 1.00%, 0.85%, 0.70% and 0.55% to 0.40% on the remainder. Type 2 begins at 4.00% on the first €3,000,000 before tapering; Type 3 begins at 4.00% on the first €2,000,000. Type 4 works in the opposite direction, starting at 0.50% and rising to 2.00% on the remainder. The effective rate therefore depends heavily on product mix, not just revenue.

• €5,000 application, €5,000 renewal
• €25,000 fixed annual fee (€10,000 Type 4 only)
• Tiered compliance contribution by game type
• Effective rate driven by product mix

Mind the floors and ceilings

The compliance contribution is bounded at both ends, and the floor is what surprises new operators. For a Type 1 gaming service the contribution shall not be less than €15,000 per licence period and shall not exceed €375,000. For Type 2 the floor is €25,000 and the ceiling €600,000. For Type 3 the floor is €5,000 with a ceiling of €500,000. A licensee holding several types pays the applicable floor for each, regardless of whether that vertical generated meaningful revenue.

This is why the type selection above is a commercial decision rather than a formality. A brand licensed for Types 1, 2 and 3 that only ever launches slots still carries the Type 2 and Type 3 floors on top of the €25,000 fixed annual fee. Model the first two years including floors at low revenue, and add the system audit — a separate cost paid to the auditor, which grows with the number of verticals covered.

• Type 1 floor €15,000 / cap €375,000
• Type 2 floor €25,000 / cap €600,000
• Type 3 floor €5,000 / cap €500,000
• Floors apply per type, revenue or not

The application is a documentation project

The Authority assesses the applicant across fitness and propriety, business viability, the operational and statutory requirements, and the technical systems. In practice that means corporate structure and beneficial ownership evidence, due diligence on every qualifying interest holder and key official, a three-year business plan with financial forecasts, and written policies covering AML and funding of terrorism, responsible gaming, player fund protection, complaints, data protection and information security.

Approval is followed by a system audit within a defined period after going live, conducted by an approved auditor against what was declared in the application. Build the platform to match the documents rather than writing documents to match a platform you have not yet configured. Where the technology is supplied by a partner, that partner must be able to produce the evidence — certification, RNG and game testing, logs and reporting — that the audit asks for.

• Beneficial ownership and key official DD
• Three-year plan and financial forecasts
• AML, responsible gaming and IS policies
• System audit after go-live

What holding the licence means afterwards

An MGA licence is issued for a multi-year term but supervised continuously. Expect periodic reporting, notification of material changes to ownership, systems or key personnel, player fund segregation and reporting, adherence to responsible-gaming requirements including self-exclusion, and audit and inspection rights. Gaming tax applies on revenue generated from players located in Malta, separately from the fees described above.

Malta's commercial value comes from that supervision: banks, payment providers and tier-one game studios treat an MGA licence as a strong signal, which is often the practical reason operators choose it over cheaper routes. Weigh the total annual cost — fixed fee, contribution floors, audit, legal and compliance staffing — against the payment and content access it unlocks in your target markets. This is general B2B information rather than legal advice; confirm the current position with the Authority and qualified Maltese advisers before applying.

• Continuous reporting and notifications
• Player fund segregation
• Gaming tax on Malta-based players
• Total annual cost versus market access

A workable 90-day roadmap

Use the first 30 days for market validation, legal review, scope, financial modelling and supplier shortlisting. Use days 31–60 for integrations, design, payments and compliance operations. Reserve days 61–90 for end-to-end acceptance tests, training and a controlled soft launch. Licensing and payment dependencies must remain explicit gates.

After launch, review technical failures, deposit acceptance, withdrawal time, KYC completion, support demand, bonus cost and net revenue every day. Growth begins only when the operation can reliably explain these numbers.