Ontario Seeks Assistance in Online Gambling From Maltese Colleagues

Ontario is closing in on changing Canadian gambling laws and allowing online gambling in the province. The latest step saw the undersigning of a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and Maltese Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LGA).

Ontario wants to join the footsteps of other Canadian provinces already allowing online casinos in Canada. The MOU spreads to such areas as the bilateral exchange of information and applicant eligibility assessments. Compliance and regulatory assurances connected to gaming are also included in the Memorandum.

The two authorities also plan to use the MOU to carry out joint collaborative inspections, investigations and enforcement activities. Among other possible applications are employee exchange and twinning programs. Facilitating non-duplication of license requirements as well as controls and server locations are also on the agenda.

Canada gambling news also noted that Maltese LGA didn’t stop at the MOU with Ontario and went to sign another one with the internal agency on sport integrity of FIFA. This Memorandum has the goal to protect the integrity of football and other sports betting across the globe.

Maltese LGA pledged to offer full cooperation in the ongoing fight against match fixing and illicit sports betting. This will be carried out according to the FIFA Early Warning System (EWS), which covers the exchange of betting related information, the investigation of every suspicious betting occurrences or insider betting in connection to sporting events and competitions.

The Maltese Minister of Finance, the Economy and Industry, Tonio Fenech, had the following comments: "A collaborative agreement between the LGA and FIFA reflects the importance that the Maltese Legislation places on game fairness in all senses."