MGA issues 2023 ESG Insights Report and opens Enrolment for 2024 cycle – Malta Gaming Authority
Summary
The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has published the results of its first ESG Code of Good Practice data collection for 2023. Fourteen online gaming licensees voluntarily submitted detailed information on their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices. The report highlights progress in community contributions, energy and emissions tracking, and responsible gambling measures, while also identifying areas for improvement such as ESG governance, data tracking and gender representation at executive level. All participants received the ESG Code Approval Seal at either Tier 1 or Tier 2.
Source
Key Points
- • Fourteen online gaming licensees voluntarily participated in the MGA’s first ESG Code data collection for 2023.
- • Participants reported positive activity in community initiatives, energy use and emissions tracking, and responsible gambling measures.
- • All participating licensees were awarded the ESG Code Approval Seal at either Tier 1 or Tier 2, recognising varying levels of alignment.
- • The exercise supports Malta Vision 2050 by aligning sector practices with national sustainable development priorities.
- • The report flags gaps: further development of ESG governance frameworks, more structured data-tracking, broader ESG training for senior leadership, and improved gender representation at executive level.
- • The MGA stresses the sample is small and self-selected, so findings are directional rather than fully representative of the whole sector.
- • Enrolment is now open for the 2024 ESG Code reporting cycle, inviting more licensees to take part and advance sector-wide sustainability.
Content Summary
The MGA’s 2023 Insights Report presents the outcomes of the Authority’s inaugural ESG Code reporting cycle. Fourteen licensees provided voluntary submissions covering environmental, social and governance activities during 2023. The findings show encouraging progress in several practical areas — especially responsible gambling measures and some initial environmental tracking — and reward participants with Tier 1 or Tier 2 ESG Code Approval Seals based on alignment with the Code.
The report also sets out clear improvement opportunities: strengthening formal ESG governance, improving consistency and granularity of data tracking, expanding ESG training to senior leaders, and addressing gender balance at executive level. The MGA emphasises the limits of the dataset (small and self-selected) and has excluded potentially sensitive data to avoid misleading conclusions. A full copy of the report is available to download here. Licencees can register for the 2024 reporting cycle via the registration form here.
Context and Relevance
This initiative is a stepping stone for embedding ESG into Malta’s online gaming sector and supports broader national aims under Malta Vision 2050. By establishing a reporting baseline and recognising progress with an approval seal, the MGA is promoting transparency, encouraging best practice and nudging operators towards more consistent, measurable ESG activity. The 2024 cycle is an opportunity to broaden participation, improve data quality and accelerate sector-wide alignment with sustainability goals.
Why should I read this?
Short version: if you work in or with Malta’s online gaming sector, this matters. The MGA has kicked off formal ESG reporting, awarded seals, and opened the door for more licencees to join the next cycle — so it’s where policy and practice are starting to shift. Reading the report gives you the lowdown on what peers are doing, where gaps remain, and how to get involved in the 2024 enrolment.