Malta Gaming Authority Suspends Tipster’s License for Violations

Due to violations of the Gaming Compliance and Enforcement Regulations, the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has decided to suspend the license of sports betting business Tipster, starting June 27. This action follows the German regulator’s revocation of Tipster’s license last month, after officials searched the company’s office in April as part of a two-year undercover probe.

As a result of the license suspension, Tipster is no longer authorized to operate gaming operations, according to the MGA. However, the corporation is required by law to provide registered players with access to their accounts and to reimburse all monies.

In April, about 1,000 policemen from the North Rhine-Westphalia riot police and criminal investigation department participated in a large-scale raid against Tipster. Simultaneous searches were conducted at over 100 places throughout Germany, as well as in Malta and Croatia. The investigation centered on claims of illicit gambling, the establishment of a criminal organization, and wage withholding.

Six individuals were apprehended during the raid in Cologne and Brühl, Germany, who were purportedly members of Tipster’s management staff and ranged in age from 34 to 60. Police officers, prosecutors from the Central Office for Organised Crime, customs officials, and financial investigators were among those involved in the operation. During the raid, authorities also confiscated the company’s servers.

Tipster was licensed by the MGA as well as Germany’s Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL). However, the corporation had not been operating under its MGA license since January 2023, instead relying only on its German license. As a result, the MGA had closely observed Tipster’s operations, and conversations about surrendering its MGA license were underway. The MGA’s recent announcement effectively cancels the company’s license in Malta.