Malta Today – The Maltese government will continue to push for changes to a new definition of illegal sports betting which is being drafted by the Council of Europe, and pushed by France.
According to the Parliamentary Assembly, illegal betting and match-fixing are “alarming, widespread practices” which jeopardise both sporting ethics and rule of law, as they are closely interconnected with money laundering and international organised crime.
The Council of Europe is thus pushing for a Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions, open to all States.
The gaming industry provides 12% of Malta’s total GDP. Remote gaming on its own, with some 360 licensees, contributes to over 6% of the gross domestic product.
Parliamentary secretary for competitiveness and economic growth Jose Herrera said a new definition could negatively impact the gaming industry in Malta – more specifically the remote gaming.
“Betting is currently regulated by the country that is operating it. This convention is however proposing that sports betting is regulated by the country of origin and not by the country that is providing the betting service,” Herrera said.
