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The Maltese government has passed legislation that will protect locally licensed gambling operators from foreign court judgments if these companies are compliant in Malta. [Image: Shutterstock.com]
The Malta parliament has passed legislation that means the country’s courts will no longer enforce foreign court judgments against licensed gambling operators if they comply with local rules. The basis for this new law was discussions between Minister for the Economy Silvio Schembri and operators following a raft of overseas lawsuits.
Austrian and German civil courts have been trying to get certain Malta Gaming Authority-licensed companies to compensate users for historical losses. They allege that these companies illegally offered online gambling products to people. The total sum of these claims could add up to hundreds of millions of euros.
One of the questions that still remain about Bill 55 is if it is actually compatible with EU laws. The EU Commission is currently dealing with a complaint from Austrian and German lawyers who are accusing Malta of violating European law for providing a “protective shield” for gambling operators who are facing lawsuits in these nations.
