Fantasy sports games have been recently exempted from the terms of the Lotteries and Other Games Act and/or the Remote Gaming Regulations and will now no longer require a gambling license for legal operation in Malta.
The change, enacted via Legal Notice 271 of 2016 and entitled the Fantasy Sports (Exemption) Regulations (S.L. 438.10), comes in response to calls for a legal differentiation between fantasy sports and regular games of chance, given that fantasy sports games by nature involve elements of skill and knowledge which can heavily affect the outcome of one’s endeavours. Therefore the recent exemption reflects the fact that while fantasy sports involve a great deal of luck, the outcome is also largely dependent on the ability of the player.
This exemption can be considered a legal breakthrough with regard to Malta’s digital economy, which should pave the way for the thriving fantasy sports industry to increase its already considerable standing in Malta.
