 Malta
recognizes online casinos standards
Online casinos all over the world have seen an
increase in traffic from the casual player to the more dire-hard
gambler in the online entertainment gambling industry, and they
are aiming to better security and the best standards across the
board to compete with other top notch online casinos in the
industry.
The Lotteries and Gaming Authority of Malta (LGA) and
independent online casinos monitoring association eCommerce and
Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (Ecogra) have recently
agreed to cooperate further in pursuit of player protection
measures at online casinos.
The deal comes with certain conditions, but the common goal is
player protection at online casinos and agreeing to standards
that regulate online casinos and create a safe game play
environment at online casinos on the world wide web.
Because of some new conditions, the LGA has agreed that
operators using software supplied by eCOGRA members, and that is
subject to eCOGRA’s principles and testing methodologies, will
not be required to submit to further review and monitoring
processes required for the award of a Malta online casinos
license. The LGA will continue to use its own strategy in
conducting due diligence investigations on all online casinos
applicants to decide on their suitability as licensees and to
review other appropriate areas addressing player protection and
responsible operator conduct at online casinos.
The results are born out of investigations by the LGA in a
search for optimum testing and operational systems at online
casinos. The nation Malta is a full member of the European
Union.
The online casinos collaboration will potentially apply to a
wide range of online casinos and poker rooms, comprising a
significant proportion of the available business. Malta numbers
71 online casinos as licensees, and there are now 76 major
Internet venues carrying the eCOGRA "Play It Safe" seal.
In the future, the sites will get together further to make sure
player disputes are heard fairly, independently and within a
reasonable timeframe. The LGA has its own compliance and
disputes officer and eCOGRA offers a dedicated dispute mediation
service through its Fair Gaming Advocate.
In a statement, Mario Galeo, the CEO responsible for Malta
licensing, said that he is pleased with the agreement reached
with eCOGRA and looks forward to close cooperation and
communication in the interest of creating better conditions in
the online gambling industry.
Galeo said, “We share a common purpose in seeking to ensure that
the player is given fair gaming and efficient, courteous service
by casinos and poker rooms that are licensed and regulated by
our respective bodies.” He added, “We look forward to a closer
working relationship that benefits both the players and the
industry in the years ahead.”
Andrew Beveridge of ECOGRA also commented that he was happy LGA
had approved the testing procedures. He added, “eCOGRA is keen
to interact with any jurisdiction that shares our values and we
regard this closer relationship with the LGA as a significant
step toward consistent global regulation for safe online
gambling.”
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