Lawmakers in Malta passed the bill in June, but it needs to be approved by the European Commission to become law.
The proposed bill amends Malta’s gaming regulations. One proposed measure prevents courts from awarding damages to plaintiffs, where the reason for the lawsuit concerns activities permitted by the operator’s MGA licences.
The bill would also provide legal protection for operators active in the European grey market that have faced lawsuits from their gaming activities.
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In some jurisdictions, notably Germany and Austria, courts have ordered operators to pay back all losses to players. However, while often victorious in these legal actions, some operators have refused payment to the courts.
The operators typically do so by citing European freedom of services. They also question whether the operator’s local licensing regimes themselves are compatible with European law.
