As from the 1st August, 2016, fantasy sports has been deemed to be an activity which is exempt from the requirement to obtain a remote gaming licence in Malta. By virtue of regulations that have been made by the Malta Minister for Competitiveness and Digital, Maritime and Services Economy, after consultation with the Malta Gaming Authority, comfort and clear guidance has now been given to operators that intend to set up their remote gaming business in Malta, and also to those operators who wish to shift their business within the European Union, specifically within a reputable jurisdiction such as Malta.
The recent legislation defines 'fantasy sports' and 'fantasy sports game' as 'a contest played for money or money's worth whereby the winning outcome is determined predominantly through the skill or knowledge of the player, and where the results are determined by the accumulation of statistical results of the performance of a number of individuals in sporting events'. However, forecast of the score, point spread or any other future occurrence of one or multiple events is not included within the definition of 'fantasy sports' or 'fantasy sports game', thereby meaning that if the game does have one of these elements, then it might still be considered as a licensable activity.
Going forward, through this legislation, operators seeking to establish their fantasy sports operations in Malta will just need to notify the Malta Gaming Authority of its operation. This will prove to be a much welcomed introduction for operators of fantasy sports games and for the Maltese gaming industry in general.
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