A MGA casino is a gambling operator with a license issued by the Malta Gaming Authority - the gaming control board of Malta. This Southern European island has been held in high repute for being a casino metropolis and home to a great number of online casinos. A MGA license makes them trustworthy, even if they are not licensed by any of the Nordic regulators. Scroll down to read more about MGA casinos without a Nordic licence.
We have searched the web and collected the best, safest and most reliable online casinos with MGA license. The casinos you find in our list are all secure for players from Scandinavia even though they are viewed as casinos without a license, so called "casino utan licens" as they are referred in Scandinavia.
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For any online casino, a license from the MGA directly translates to trust. The Malta Gaming Authority is one of the largest regulatory bodies in the world. Over the years, it has raised the standards within the world of iGaming and put license applicants to the strictest tests to sift the best gambling operators.
The MGA aims to make gaming safer and fairer, which is why it incessantly focuses on setting new benchmarks to protect the interests of players worldwide. The authority also works towards meeting the ever-evolving demands of the iGaming market and ensuring that gaming is kept crime-free. Regular punters would know a majority of online casinos are MGA licenses.
Casinos that don't have a license for a specific Nordic country are often called ‘casinos without license’ or ‘casinon utan licens,’ or even ‘unlicensed casinos’ (olicensierade casinon in Swedish). But that’s actually not true, because they usually have a MGA license. A better term for ‘casinos without license’ is ‘casino utan svensk spellicens,’ which means ‘casinos without Swedish license.’
Even if these casinos are unlicensed in the Nordic countries, a single MGA license would earn them the credibility and vote of confidence they need. The authorization means such casinos are competent to protect players from being exploited, meet the requirements that apply to the gaming jurisdiction and adhere to the associated laws and regulations.
A license from the Malta Gaming Authority is no less than the holy grail for casino operators online. It is coveted and difficult to get. But, those who get it, rank high on the credibility meter.
A Nordic player choosing to play at an MGA licensed casino is completely a matter of personal preference. It also depends on the country to which the player belongs. Online casinos that are MGA licensees come with a mixed bag of advantages and disadvantages, the former greater than the latter.
For instance, you could receive more and better bonuses, tighter player protection, significant relief from strict national exclusion programs, unlimited deposits and zero spin intervals. Depending on what you are looking for, casinos with an MGA license could be the way to go.
These are the benefits of playing at MGA-licensed casinos:
It is a priority for players to choose casinos that are safe and secure to play. Many gamblers are under the impression that it is only safe to play at casinos with a Swedish, Danish or Norwegian license.
However, the MGA rules the roost. A gaming license from this jurisdiction means an online casino follows all the rules and regulations specified by the Maltese government to protect player interests. In other words, you can be at peace when playing at MGA-licensed casinos.
Let us get into the details.
Spelinspektionen or the Swedish Gaming Authority specifies that it works towards maintaining transparency, fairness and safety in the gaming market. To keep the balance intact, it also puts effort in reducing the harmful social effects of gambling and illegal operations. All this is good and well. However, what it does not do is a range of things that would trouble most players. For instance, the authority does not…
In comparison, the Danish Gambling Authority, Spillemyndigheden is way more cooperative. It says it is responsible for a regulated gambling market in Denmark and protecting player interests. However, Denmark runs a state monopoly and clearly states that it cannot settle any dispute between players and gambling operators. Also, the authority cannot comment on specific cases. Even if it takes up a certain case, it is not answerable to players regarding keeping them updated about the progress.
Similar is the case with the Norwegian Gaming & Foundation Authority, Lottstift. Safety of players is the primary concern of this regulator. However, Norway’s gambling laws are rather strict and currently, the market is ruled by only two licensed companies - Norsk Riskoto and Norsk Tipping. Online casino action is illegal, which automatically puts the country under a rock.
The Malta Gaming Authority, on the other hand, offers a formal channel for players to complain about any MGA-licensed online casino. An MGA casino, therefore, always rings of reliability and accountability.
Casinos licensed by the MGA are outside national self-exclusion programs such as Sweden’s Spelpaus and Denmark’s ROFUS. However, it has its own Unified-Self Exclusion Program which applies for land-based as well as remote gaming operators. We will tell you why the latter is better.
The Swedish Spelpaus lets players turn themselves off from all gambling activities and advertisements for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months or until further notice. The players must register with their BankID. For the monthly schemes, the shutdown is reverted at the end of the period.
If a player chooses to shut off until further notice, he or she may choose to end it after 12 months or leave to continue. However, under no circumstances can players undo, change or terminate the pause before time. This means all you can probably do is buy lotto tickets at the supermarket and sulk.
The Danish ROFUS is one step ahead in this context. Players who wish to exclude themselves from all gambling activities temporarily or permanently must register with ROFUS via NemID voluntarily. Spillemyndigheden clearly states that players can neither regret nor remove their registration.
The data of excluded players are handled by gambling operators, so if you attempt to log in or create another account, you’d be expelled immediately. The worst part is if there are technical errors in ROFUS, the Danish Gambling Authority is not responsible. So, who’s the keeper of your NemID?
However, the MGA has no such rules. Its self-exclusion program is not designed for a pause on all gambling operators. Even if a player excludes himself from one MGA casino, he can always play at another. Also, even if a player suspends himself from the Swedish or Danish market, he would still have the opportunity to play at casinos that are MGA licensed.
Players always want to get access to the best casino bonuses. In this regard, an MGA-licensee operator is the casino of choice because bonus limitations are less. For instance, Swedish casinos have something called the one-bonus-per-player rule, which limits players to just the welcome bonus. No loyalty programs, VIP bonuses, cashbacks, or free spins. It can be a major let-down for regular players who are likely to resort to MGA-licensed casinos that offer more than just the welcome bonus.
Beyond limited bonuses, the Swedish authority also imposes something called the 3-seconds spin interval to prolong to the time between two consecutive slot spins.
Although done in good faith to curb compulsive gambling, it only turns the gaming experience bland. Another disadvantage is the limit put on deposits for casinos within the Nordics, which is an instant turn-off for loyal players and high rollers. Thankfully, we have the MGA to let gamblers responsibly play the way they want.
These are the primary reasons why unlicensed casinos should opt for an MGA license:
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Yes, it is safe to play at an MGA casino without a Nordic license. If a casino has a gaming license from the MGA, it means the requirements that apply to this license have been met. Even if MGA is not as strict as the other Nordic licensers, this can be an advantage for players, especially regarding bonuses and benefits that are offered.
No, there is no tax on MGA casinos winnings. Since Malta is in the European Union there are no taxes on your winnings if you are from Sweden and Denmark. If you are from Norway then you have tax on your winnings if you play at an MGA casino.
Yes, Scandinavians can play at a casino with an MGA license safely and legally. None of the countries has banned international casinos that are not locally licensed.
Spelpaus gäller endast på casinon med svensk licens och inte på casinon utanför den svenska spellicensen. Så du kan absolut fortsätta spela trots Spelpaus.
The general registration process at a MGA-licensed casino requires players to enter a username and a password. In the event of a win, you might need to submit certain documents to prove your physical address and identity. Some MGA operators have Trustly as a payment option. This makes it easier for players to prove their identity because Trustly is directly connected to the bank and enables payments within minutes. The verification process of MGA-licensed online casinos differs from that of Nordic online casinos. For instance, Swedish or Norwegian casinos require players to verify their accounts with their unique BankID while Danish casinos need a similar proof of identification called NemID.
Online casinos with an MGA license offer several payment methods for the fast payout of winnings. The fastest methods include e-wallets such as Skrill and Neteller. The withdrawal time is almost immediate. Trustly is another payment method that enables quick withdrawals within 5 minutes.
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