Malta’s remote gaming sector submits more suspicious transaction reports related to organised crime than any other industry operating in the country.
The Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit, known as the FIAU, tracks money laundering activity across Malta and monitors suspicious reporting from multiple sectors.
Between 2021 and 2024, a total of 540 suspicious reports relating to organised crime were submitted across all industries, with the remote gaming sector accounting for 31% of that figure.
The data comes from a strategic analysis published by the FIAU under the title “The Landscape of Organised Crime in Malta: An FIAU Perspective.”
The FIAU wrote: “This highlights the overall exposure of the remote gaming sector to international organised criminal groups, whilst credit institutions appear to have a strong capacity to detect illicit activities which feature elements of both domestic and international organised crime.”
When the analysis focused specifically on international organised crime groups, online gaming operators were responsible for filing 50% of the entire total of relevant reports.
The organised crime groups connected to gaming sector reports tended to be based outside Malta, with the sector submitting only 5% of reports forwarded to local law enforcement.
The FIAU study said: “It is noteworthy that remote gaming operators play a significant role in identifying threats from both international and national OCGs, which are not necessarily operating within Maltese borders.”
Bank and e-money accounts were identified as the most frequently used financial products within organised crime reports, appearing in 51% of all submissions reviewed by analysts.
Gaming products featured in 33% of reports, with suspicious activity most commonly linked to table games and sports betting, and a comparatively smaller focus on gaming machines.
The FIAU also observed the use of cash and cryptocurrency products within these reports, suggesting individuals connected to organised crime groups may attempt to launder funds through virtual assets or cash-based vehicles.
The findings reinforce the significant role the remote gaming sector plays in Malta’s broader financial crime detection framework, even as the threats it identifies often originate well beyond the country’s borders.
