MGA relaxes Recognition Notice requirements after industry objections
Changes confirmed 29 Oct 2026; data collection for 2025 to start before end of 2026
Key Takeaways
- The Malta Gaming Authority confirmed changes to the Recognition Notice framework on 29 October 2026.
- B2B suppliers will avoid several proposed new obligations while B2C operators will face additional reporting requirements.
- The MGA will request ultimate beneficial ownership details and material licensing matters rather than full corporate structures and five years of correspondence.
- The first data collection will cover 2025, apply only to B2C operators and is planned to begin before the end of 2026.
The Malta Gaming Authority reduced several proposed compliance requirements for gaming businesses operating under foreign licences and confirmed those changes on 29 October 2026. The regulator differentiated obligations between B2B suppliers and B2C operators: B2B suppliers will avoid a number of the new obligations, while B2C operators will face additional reporting. The MGA plans to begin collecting data covering 2025 before the end of 2026.
Key changes to the Recognition Notice framework
The adjustment responds to industry comments on the Recognition Notice framework. The review drops several of the initial demands: rather than requiring detailed corporate structures, five years of regulatory correspondence and extensive financial information, the MGA will request ultimate beneficial ownership details and material licensing or fitness-and-probity matters. The regulator will also reduce requests for commercially sensitive information.
The requirement to report exact annual volumes of deposits and stakes is replaced by the option to provide figures within predefined ranges; payment methods will be grouped into broader categories. The proposal for a standard legal opinion model has been abandoned.
"Where appropriate, information may be requested through categories, ranges or thresholds, rather than requiring exact or highly granular data." — Malta Gaming Authority, quoted by NEXT.io
Why the review was carried out
Malta introduced the Recognition Notice system to allow businesses licensed in other EU or EEA Member States to provide gaming services or supplies in or from Malta without obtaining a full Malta Gaming Authority licence. The framework also accepts licences from jurisdictions with comparable regulatory standards.
The primary concern driving the review was the residual money‑laundering risk associated with Recognition Notices. In Malta’s National Risk Assessment 2023 that residual risk was rated medium-high, versus a medium rating for remote and land‑based gaming. A prior analysis identified 111 gaming companies incorporated in Malta that operated under Recognition Notices in 2021, of which 46 were B2C operators. Those findings fed into the April 2026 consultation and form part of the Malta National AML/CFT Strategy 2024–2026.
Implementation and next steps
Despite softening requirements, the MGA retains plans for increased supervisory engagement this year. The first data collection will cover 2025 and apply only to B2C operators; the regulator expects to phase information requests rather than target all Recognition Notice holders simultaneously. Some industry participants have questioned whether current Maltese legislation grants sufficient powers to compel certain data; the MGA acknowledged that applying some requirements may require amendments to the legal framework.
"The final framework will therefore adopt a more differentiated approach between B2B and B2C RN holders, place greater emphasis on risk-based engagement, and rely on targeted information gathering that supports clearly defined regulatory, policy and risk-assessment objectives." — Feedback Statement of the MGA, 26 October 2026
The MGA circulated the 26 October 2026 Feedback Statement privately to Recognition Notice holders and has not yet published the full document; implementation details will be communicated separately. For additional regulatory context, operators can consult the [regulation](/regulation).
Frequently Asked Questions
What changes did the MGA confirm on 29 October 2026 to the Recognition Notice?
The MGA confirmed it will reduce certain information requirements and differentiate between B2B and B2C holders; it will seek ultimate beneficial ownership details and material licensing or fitness matters instead of full corporate structures and five years of regulatory correspondence.
Who will be subject to the first data collection and what period will it cover?
The first data collection will apply only to B2C operators and will cover the year 2025, with the intention to initiate it before the end of 2026.
Why did the MGA revise the Recognition Notice requirements?
The revision was prompted by industry objections and concerns about the residual money‑laundering risk associated with Recognition Notices; Malta’s National Risk Assessment 2023 rated that residual risk as medium‑high.
How many companies operated under Recognition Notices in Malta according to prior analysis?
An earlier analysis identified 111 gaming companies incorporated in Malta operating under Recognition Notices in 2021, of which 46 were B2C operators.
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About the author
Miguel Sandoval
Regulatory Affairs Correspondent
Miguel Sandoval tracks gambling legislation, licensing, and regulator enforcement — from Spain's DGOJ and the Latin American authorities to the UKGC, the MGA, and the state-by-state map in North America. The reports answer three questions precisely — what changed, where, and who it affects — with jurisdictions, dates, and penalties cited exactly as published. Operators and compliance officers read Miguel Sandoval to know which rulebook moved before their next meeting.
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