CROSS-BORDER JURISDICTION
Malta’s Parliament Building
Small island, big impact: Malta’s Bill 55 continues to worry regulators around the world THE FAR-REACHING CONSEQUENCES OF BILL 55 ARE EXPLORED BY DANIEL MCGINN AND RILEY CORNELL
A s Malta’s Bill 55 continues to impact the landscape of gambling regulations, concern is echoing across Europe, with Germany and Austria at the forefront of the discontent. This landmark legislation sparked significant debate over its potential implications for the broader regulatory framework governing online gambling. The frustration centers on fears that Malta’s approach could undermine the uniformity and effectiveness of cross-border enforcement within the European Union. With stringent consumer protection regulations and a commitment to maintaining high integrity in gambling operations, other EU nations worry that Malta’s reforms may be compromising consumer welfare and undermining the ability of member
countries to regulate gambling effectively within their own borders across the EU. Moreover, the bill potentially disrupts EU-wide collaborative efforts, as members strive for a harmonized regulatory framework to ensure fair play and robust consumer safeguards across member states. Malta’s legislative changes, critics argue, could introduce inconsistencies, complicating the enforcement of shared standards and potentially impacting the cohesion of the EU’s regulatory environment. As the global gambling industry watches closely, the debate over Bill 55 underscores the delicate balance between national regulatory autonomy and the need for cohesive international standards. The unfolding situation, with matters pending
IMGL MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2024
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