The German Federal Gambling Authority (GGL) considers Malta’s Bill 55 to be incompatible with European Union laws and member states’ protection measures in the field of gambling.
Maltese President George Vella in June signed Bill 55, known as the Gambling Amendment Bill, which gives Maltese courts the power to refuse to recognize and enforce foreign judgments related to the online gambling sector.
It is also worth noting that enforcement actions are not allowed if the actions of the operator are in accordance with the permitted activities that are legal under the Maltese Gambling Law.
The granting of permission for this bill has caused conflict between European regulators, as the authorities responsible for regulating gambling in Germany and Austria cited recent disputes about violations of the rights of operators with an MGA license in their markets.
The Maltese government’s decision has drawn criticism for setting a precedent to allow national courts to refuse to recognize and enforce the actions of foreign governments or authorities that regulate gambling.
The right to free provision of services is a key principle of the European Union. The MGA claims that this applies to cross-border betting and gaming products, but the diversity of laws in different EU member states creates difficulties.
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