Malta is not on the radar of the most famous countries in the world, but in the world of online gambling, it is right on the top. The country is a gambling paradise and it has its own gaming authority! With that in mind, players can find various sports betting sites as well as online casinos.
But which ones are the best? In further text, you will find a list of the best sports betting sites in Malta for 2023. In addition, the most popular sports and markets will be presented, as well as a few short guides on how to place sports bets online in Malta.
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Quick Jump
There aren’t many illegal gambling activities in Malta and sports betting is the safest one from becoming illegal. With numerous laws and regulations, sports betting is very safe and secure. In fact, Malta blocks the approval of the new Hungarian rules on online gaming and betting. Due to a detailed opinion submitted by Malta, the European Commission postponed the approval of two notified bills relating to online gaming and betting to August 2022.
One of the two projects aims to revise the regulation on the organization of remote gambling in the light of the jurisprudence of the Court of Justice of the European Union on gambling, in particular, to comply with the judgments of the European Court of Justice. European Union in case C-49/16 Unibet and in case C-3/17 Sports betting related to the Hungarian online gambling regulation.
In a liberalized online betting market, several private companies compete with each other, so there is a risk of encouraging excessive gambling rather than maximizing the principle of responsible gaming. Therefore, the project aims to liberalize remote gambling by placing emphasis on the aspects of player protection and introducing regulatory elements of guarantee to protect the interests of players.
In order to enforce the requirements of an organization responsible for gambling and the protection of players, the related aspects of public health, public order, public safety, and social policy, guarantees for professional conduct, and safe gambling. The project, in addition to the detailed rules provided for by the regulation of the president of the Supervisory Authority on gambling, provides for minimum initial capital for the granting of remote gaming licenses, acquired experience in the organization of remote gambling and/or online casino activities, and delegates to the president of the gambling supervisory authority the power to issue regulations establishing the maximum duration of the license and the minimum amount of the guarantee that the remote gambling operator is required to provide.
According to the current legal provisions, the president of the authority has the regulatory power to establish detailed rules on the authorization and control of the organization of remote gambling, the personnel, the technical and economic prerequisites, conduct of the remote gambling, and conditions for participating in remote gambling. The legal status of the Regulatory Affairs Supervisor, which acts as a gambling supervisor with the power to enact regulations as an independent regulatory body, allows for a rapid response to market developments and regulatory requirements, not only in the field of public law enforcement authorities but also in the field of legislation. In view of this, the project proposes to regulate elements that do not require a legislative level in the decree of the president of the supervisory authority for regulatory affairs.
According to the project, remote gambling will be included in the so-called liberalized gambling sector. This will put an end to the current monopoly of the public gaming operator of remote gambling organizations. Economic operators established in the European Economic Area will be able to organize remote gambling on the basis of a license issued by the Gambling Supervisory Authority. The project does not limit the number of licenses that can be issued.
The project excludes the granting of a license to operators who have organized unlicensed gambling in an EEA state in the ten years preceding the application. The license for the organization of remote gambling is lost if the organizer commits this act during the period of validity.
According to the project, a remote gambling operator can only accept betting deposits by transfer from the player’s payment account held with an authorized payment service provider, by online payment by credit card using the linked payment card to that account, or, if the gambling supervisory authority permits it in the approved game plan, at your point of sale or betting office, and can make payments by wire transfer to that player’s account.
At the same time, the new legislation states that a company established for the purpose of organizing gambling activities can have a payment account only if it confirms that it has been authorized to organize gambling with a license issued by the Gambling Supervisory Authority. The project does not involve any change in the technical and IT conditions for the organization of remote gambling, the organizers who enter the market following the liberalization will have to respect the current technical and IT parameters required for the organization of remote gambling.
Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Malta?
Malta has one of the best-regulated sports betting markets on the planet and sports betting is legal, both online and on land.
To choose the best sports betting sites in Malta well, different quality parameters must be evaluated. The list of sports events is important, as are the payouts, the range of available markets, the mobile apps, and the live bets. In the list below you can see the complete list of analytical criteria reserved for Maltese bookmakers.
The first parameter to consider when it comes to online sports betting is certainly legality. It is necessary to admit that the black market is also thriving and that the web can sometimes be dangerous. We must make sure that the MGA license is valid, check the site’s encryption protocols for the protection of your sensitive data, and evaluate the partnerships that the various bookies establish with virtual banking services to offer fast and secure transactions.
The best betting sites in Malta offer a huge catalog of options on practically every sport: from tennis to basketball, MotoGP betting, online Formula 1 betting, cricket, surfing and sailing competitions, etc. A very differentiated panorama that obviously also includes international, European, and overseas leagues and events. With such a large offering, punters can vary scope and avoid getting bored with repetitive and monotonous bets.
Another factor that establishes the quality of sports betting is represented by the odds. The more competitive they are, the more profitable the stake can be in terms of winnings. As a rule, Maltese bookies offer payout rates that can fluctuate by a few points depending on the discipline. In general, the most popular sports have higher payouts: betting on football will always pay more than playing on volleyball betting sites.
The best sports betting sites offer very similar payouts, however, in the long run even these small variations can lead to significant differences in terms of payout. For this reason, it is recommended that you register on multiple platforms and use the one that offers the most competitive return values to the player from time to time.
Betting site bonuses are one of the tools that sports betting sites in Malta use to attract fans to their platforms. Normally the gifts offered to punters consist of welcome packages, but there are also promos dedicated to particular sports disciplines that can be used, however, within a certain time window. The most frequent sports betting bonuses include increased odds, no deposit bonuses, and cashback that allow you to recover part of the amount wagered in the event of a non-winning bet.
There are also pages dedicated to live bets. Following live an event on which you have bet on has actually a completely different flavor and this partly explains the success that this type of play has had recently. Added to this is the vast catalog of in-play markets offered by bookies, one more reason to prefer them. In some sports, such as football and tennis, this mode has experienced a real boom, in other cases, such as betting on cycling, we are still in its infancy.
The observation of a match can facilitate the final prediction, especially if you use the updated live score statistics and video streaming available on the live bookmakers’ sites. But if it is true that these tools allow a more accurate reading of the race in progress, it is equally true that those who bet in real time must have their own intuition and decision-making powers.
The statistics photograph a scenario in which users prefer to bet from a portable device rather than a desktop PC. To be competitive in a similar market, sports betting sites in Malta have been made available to the public apps dedicated to iOS and Android devices. Such software is available in web apps or sometimes even in download mode. To download them, just go to the dedicated stores.
As a rule, bookmakers also pay close attention to the graphic layout of their sites to give the less experienced the opportunity to easily navigate between markets, sports and matches on which to place bets. Betting sites therefore should be user-friendly and give you the possibility to place your bets with a few clicks. The sections must always be well delineated, each page dedicated to a particular sport, and the markets usually visible on the comfortable drop-down windows.
If you decide to bet online, you have to pay close attention to the payment systems offered by bookmakers in Malta. The catalog of financial instruments for making withdrawals and reloads must be varied in order to give the punter the opportunity to choose the option that best suits his needs. The catalog should involve famous credit cards, such as Visa and MasterCard, e-wallets, and other safe products such as Paysafecard, Apple Pay, and Trustly.
Among the parameters to keep an eye on at this juncture are certainly the processing times, the maximum withdrawal and deposit limits, and any fees required for money transfers. Transactions are usually free as sports betting sites in Malta bear any transaction costs directly.
The more experienced users may have no doubts about the procedure to follow for opening an online betting account, but other visitors may be beginners and need help, assistance, and support during the phase of creating an account for betting. Here are the main steps:
At this point, it is good practice to be clear that to create, activate and use an online betting account, we will need a stable internet connection. If during the registration phase you are in areas where the internet does not work well and the connection is likely to jump, it is better to wait until you are in an area where the connection is more stable to avoid any blocks and problems in the initial phase of opening an account.
To fully enjoy sports betting in Malta, it is necessary to find a good, reliable, and reputable gaming house. Finding such a betting site on your own can be tough, but you can always use the guide provided above, or even better, choose a site from our list.
Once you have chosen the site where to open an online betting account, proceed with the registration. If you want to register with more bookmakers, you can do it easily as the following procedure is basically similar for each betting site. But first, it is good to have the necessary documents at hand to complete the registration and immediately activate your account.
Most bookmakers accept ONE of the following types of documents (as long as it is valid) – Identity card – Passport – Driver’s license. The activation of the online gaming account is immediate and you can immediately proceed with the first deposit and bets. It is not necessary to send the documents immediately, to do so you generally have 30 days before the account and the betting activity are suspended. As long as you do not send the documents you can NOT withdraw any winnings.
Precisely to avoid forgetfulness and suspensions, it is recommended to send all the documentation immediately in order to take your mind off and to be able to bet safely without having to remember to send the documents. Documents can be uploaded to the site during registration. It is important to specify that the transmission of the document must be COMPLETE, that is, including both the front and the back.
All data on the document must be clearly legible, in particular:
Continuing with the registration phase, you will need to indicate your access data: you must therefore specify: your working email address (where you will receive communications and also special offers with bonuses and promotions) and choose the access password.
At this point, the registration procedure will be finalized and the betting account will be active and ready to be reloaded and used. You can then go to the appropriate DEPOSITS AND WITHDRAWAL section to make the first deposit and obtain (based on the promotion active on the selected operator) a welcome bonus as a new player (which can also be a no deposit or other betting bonus. form of incentive, in this regard it is the user’s duty to read and inform themselves in advance about the Terms and Conditions applied).
Today, betting is done on all sports, with new niches such as e-sports being the fastest growing both in terms of the number of players, as well as the number of spectators and bets. But there have always been a few giants that account for the majority of the global sports betting market, including Malta. The main bets in Malta are made on such popular sports as:
Football is the biggest and most popular sport in the world, so it makes perfect sense that it is at the top of this list.. Due to the multitude of unregulated markets, it is impossible to obtain accurate data on the global market, but with hundreds of millions of viewers at major events, the true football betting figure must be huge.
The sport has been synonymous with gambling for many years, and for most of history, horse racing has been the most popular sport to bet on. It is still a global giant and one of the only sports that can be bet on around the clock all over the world. Horse racing is one of the highest-grossing sporting events, and with large prize pools comes a large spectator audience and numerous bettors. Bettors from Malta always enjoy placing horse racing bets.
It may come as a surprise to many, but tennis is the third most popular sport to bet on all over the world, including Malta. Live/in-play betting began with what could be wagered on who would win the set. And now you can bet on who will win the game, so many combinations make tennis a very diverse sport to bet on. Live betting has been a major driver of the massive growth in tennis betting in Malta.
Boxing is another sport associated with betting for many years in Malta, and although it may have been overshadowed by football and tennis, it is still one of the most popular. MMA is a relatively new sport, but thanks to the reputation of the UFC, the number of bets on it is growing more and more.
The fastest growing sport and sports market in Malta in terms of betting volume is esports. The rise in popularity of esports is forcing bookmakers to quickly adapt or fall behind. While virtual racing has been around for many years, other virtual sports have exploded in popularity in 2020 and all the major bookies offer a variety of bets on esports matches.
In order to learn how to bet, you need to know the main types of bets in bookmakers. In Malta, the most common ones are:
A single bet is a bet on a specific outcome in a game. This is the easiest and most common way to bet for beginners. To do this, the player selects one event and bets on the outcome of the meeting, total, handicap, and so on. To find out how much we can win, we need to multiply the bet amount by the odds offered by the bookmaker.
The advantages of this type of betting are simplicity and clarity, and ease of use in almost any betting strategy.
The accumulator is a type of betting in which we bet on several events at the same time. In fact, this is a combination of several single bets at once, where their odds are multiplied, and as a result, one general coefficient is obtained. However, in order for the bet to win, all events must be predicted correctly. Advantages of accumulator bets:
A system is a combination of accumulators from all the events that you have selected. There are different types of systems: 2 out of 4, 2 out of 3, 3 out of 5, etc. In this type of betting, you must select at least three events, where each combination in the system will be calculated as a separate accumulator. The second number in the name of the system means the number of selected games, and the first – the number of events in one parlay.
Advantages of using the “system”:
For example, in the “3 out of 4” system, our bet amount for the entire system is divided proportionally into 3 equal parts. Even if we win only one accumulator, we will already make a profit, and if all 4 events are correctly predicted, our winnings will increase by 4 times. At the same time, we reduce our risks if one of the events does not play out.
Multiple bets are considered to be a combination of group and single bets. This name is quite rare in betting, it is often customary to use specific names for variations of such bets: Lucky, Patent, Yankee, Goliath, Heinz, and others.
Depending on the sports betting site in Malta, such bets can be presented under different names. Consider some of the most popular combinations:
Let’s start with the fact that it is necessary to define the concept of odds coefficient. Odds – a value set by the bookmaker on the result (outcome) of an event, which will subsequently be used to calculate the winnings.
To give an example, in the match Inter – Lazio, the betting company will offer you odds for various outcomes of the match. Let’s say 2.0 for Inter to win, 3.3 for Lazio to win, and 3.3 for a draw. If you want to bet $100 on Inter’s victory, then you will accordingly bet on odds of 2.0, and if the outcome of the match is positive, you will receive $200.
In this example, we have considered the European (or decimal) odds. The calculation for such coefficients takes the following form:
Win = total odds × Amount wagered
British odds can also be used for bets. It looks like this: 5/8 or 19/4. Because of this, it is also called fractional. And also in addition to this, the American odds are presented in the bookmaker’s office. It can take values such as: -120; +365; -221; +85. For calculations by the American coefficient, the formulas can be drawn up (depending on the “+” or “-” sign).
Now let’s talk about the bookmaker’s margin. If it’s quite simple: The bookmaker’s margin is its fixed profit. It should be said right away that the margin for each sports betting site in Malta is different and can vary in value from 5 to 20%. It is thanks to the margin that the bookmaker receives its profit.
Consider the following example. Suppose in the match Everton – Manchester City 50% tend to win the guests, 30% consider Everton the winner, and 20% bet on a draw. With this probability, the odds for Everton to win should be equal to 3.3 (100%/30%), a draw equals 5 (100%/20%), and the odds of Manchester City win equals 2 (100%/50%). However, in this scenario, the betting company distributes all the funds to the players and does not receive any income.
Therefore, in order to obtain the necessary profit, the betting company deliberately underestimates the odds. And in this case, according to our example, the odds of 2.6 will be offered for Everton’s victory, 3.0 for a draw, and Manchester City’s victory will be estimated at 1.8. The odds for this match have therefore been reduced by 10%. It is this difference between the probabilistic value and the actual set odds in monetary terms that will go to the bookmaker’s account and will be considered the company’s profit. Regardless of the scale of the bookmaker, its location, or any other factors, the company has its own margin. However, the longer the bookmaker has been on the market and the wider the territorial coverage, the more customers it has.
This leads to the fact that such a bookmaker has a lower margin than its competitors with a small number of players. Old-timers in the betting world with significant cash turnover take a margin of 5 percent. Small companies vary their margins by 10-20 percent. This in turn affects the temptation of the odds for the player.
For many players, a bonus is the first reason to choose a betting site in Malta or not. The welcome betting bonus is in fact the introductory ticket of every bookmaker and it is also for this reason that there is a sort of competition as to who offers the best solution. This competition between sports betting sites in Malta is all in favor of the user who can therefore obtain the most convenient and suitable betting bonus for him.
Betting bonuses are undoubtedly a favorite with bettors, be they beginners or betting professionals. There are currently few betting sites that do not offer a welcome bonus, in fact about 90% of the market provides this promotion for new subscribers.
The fact that this is free and therefore issued at the time of registration (more precisely when the identification document is sent), or that it is linked to the first cash payment, makes them quite appealing.
Generally, the most common is the first deposit bonus, which is measured as a percentage (100% is the most widespread) and to which a maximum limit is applied (€100 is the most widespread to date). It means, if you deposit, for example, 50 euros, your money is doubled by the bonus, and you have €100 available to bet.
But not all that glitters is gold, in fact, the gaming legislation provides that the deposit bonus is not immediately available, but that you must wager a certain amount of money before using it and be able to withdraw the winnings deriving from it. It seems difficult, but it is all very simple: the bookmaker gives the bonus but in exchange they want you to play the same amount of the bonus multiplied by a certain number of times (rollover). Sometimes you’ll even have to play the bonus total plus deposit before you can unlock it.
Another factor to take into account is the minimum deposit required by the bookmaker, which also affects the required betting volumes in a proportional way. So let’s compare some figures: if a bookie claims 15X rollover (therefore 15 times the bonus value) with a 7-day expiry, you will have to bet a lot in a short time. Conversely, if the rollover drops to 10X but the bonus is valid for 60 days, you understand that the procedure is simpler and the request is, in a sense, more acceptable.
So far we have talked about the first deposit bonus, but fortunately, there are some sports betting sites in Malta that can afford to offer a free bonus as well. This is a small amount (usually between €5 and €15) that is automatically credited to you when, following the sending of your Identity document, is approved.
This free bonus does not require any payment of money but allows you to immediately bet on events with a minimum odds required by the bookmaker (usually between 1.50 and 2.00). It is certainly a good way to make the most of the welcome bonus, so it is recommended that you prefer the bookies that give this opportunity (there are many).
It is a common practice among online betting sites in Malta to propose promotional initiatives to encourage their loyalty to the site. These promotions also include cashback betting bonuses, a type of offer that allows you to get a percentage refund on one or more bets. In some cases, even over an extended period of time. Of course, special requirements and conditions must be met in order to obtain a cashback. Terms that may vary from one bookmaker to another.
The cashback betting bonus consists of the disbursement by an operator of a refund, the percentage of which may vary, following one or more wagers. In this regard, a distinction can be made – on the one hand, there is the simple cashback bonus, applied on a single play. Often even regardless of the outcome of the same. This is generally referred to as an insurance bonus. On the other hand, there is the cashback bonus on net losses, or in any case on the bets made in a certain period of time. In this case, it is a real refund bonus.
Through the deposit methods, you have the possibility to top up your account and thus have funds to be able to bet in full autonomy. Each of the many tools that are made available by the different bookmakers in Malta has specificities that you will need to consult. It will be essential to make evaluations in this sense.
Each of these tools, when the payment is made, has limits that you will have to take into account. But even in this case, we feel absolutely reassured that every single economic transaction will be carried out in maximum safety and above all, in the utmost transparency, so that the risks are reduced to practically zero. Here are the most popular ones:
✅ Paysafecard – A card, as can be easily guessed from its name, which around the world already boasts an impressive following. The first thing you will need to do is to look for the point of sale of this card. At this point, you will have to choose between the various initial amounts of this card and these are €10, €25, €50, and €100. Upload the Paysafecard pin to your personal online payment account “my Paysafecard”.
Completing the registration is very quick, and above all, it is free. At this point, all you have to do is make your payments at online bookmakers that offer this payment solution. Obviously, it is a safe and reliable tool, as well as being particularly economical. Big bookmakers in Malta contemplate this payment method among the various options offered, which certifies the fact that it is certainly a reliable tool and that it has practically no criticality, apart from being a deposit method only.
✅ Bank Transfers – It is a payment and withdrawal method that is so widespread that it is embraced by practically all online betting portals, and in particular, it is certainly to be taken into consideration by local bookmakers. If the bank transfer is chosen among the various options to top up gambling accounts and withdraw money, it means that it is a tool of proven reliability.
By its very nature, both the costs and the times to see the money transferred, both in your gaming account and in the reception phase, vary from bank to bank. Moreover, as regards the times, working days must be taken into consideration. Bank transfers take days to deposit and withdraw money from online sports betting sites in Malta, without taking into account holidays, as well as the weekend.
✅ Credit Cards – These are solutions that are guaranteed practically by all online sports betting sites in Malta. On all betting sites, you can either top up your account or withdraw money only and exclusively with credit and debit cards that are part of the two most widespread and reliable circuits on a global scale, namely MasterCard and VISA.
The reason for this is found in their reliability. MasterCard and VISA use security systems to protect both their funds and those of their customers of the highest profile and of the latest technology, in full awareness that only this can be the way to go to achieve certain results. Results that then arrive on time. Consequently, a similar spread has also had repercussions on the world of betting where these cards are very widely used, to say the least.
✅ Skrill – Although it was practically unknown in Malta until recently, in the rest of the world it already enjoys a certain following. It is very functional and involves neither problems nor specific additional costs. It is certainly no coincidence that all or almost all sports betting sites in Malta include Skrill among the first payment methods offered to customers.
This digital wallet like PayPal gives you the ability to manage your money and your finances in a rather fast way, making you safe from any fraud, both of an economic nature and relating to the data that you will provide when you go to open a gaming account. The reason why this tool has had such a rapid diffusion basically has three matrices:
Similar to Skrill are e-wallets, such as:
What Is the Best Payment Option for Maltese Players?
For all national betting sites, credit cards will do perfectly. They are safe, fast, include no fees, and are present everywhere. The best alternative (and a must-have for foreign bettings sites) are e-wallets.
Almost all forms of gambling (all except for blood sports) are legal in the country, both online and on land.
The Maltese gaming authority is among the best ones in the world, and many gaming houses in Malta are licensed by MGA, making online gambling incredibly safe in Malta.
Going for licensed and reputable bookmakers in Malta will make your betting activities very safe.
Each sportsbook will set its own limits. Always read terms and conditions before creating an account. Be that as it may, these limits are oftentimes adequate for everyone.
Professional gamblers in Malta are to pay a 5% gambling tax on winnings. Other forms of gambling activities are tax-free.
After correctly predicting sports matches, your winnings will be available on your betting account in a matter of minutes. From there, your withdrawal options will influence how long you will have to wait for the cash. E-wallets are the fastest, followed by credit cards, then bank transfers.
While most bookmakers offer more or less similar services, there will be slight differences between them. Going for the best odds, high but attainable bonuses, and a great selection of sports and markets is always recommended.
Numerous sports are available – football, basketball, volleyball, handball, tennis, water polo, martial arts, moto races, esports, etc.
Unsurprisingly, football is the most popular sport among Maltese bettors. It’s the most popular sport in the world and bookmakers offer various markets and leagues to bet on.
In Malta, the most popular type of odds is the decimal one. The chances of an outcome happening are presented in decimal numbers. To calculate your potential winnings, simply multiply the total odds by the money invested (15.5odds x 10e=155e).
Not many bookmakers will offer free bets as it is not very profitable to them, but it is possible to find them. When found, make sure to collect free bets and use them for betting.
The first main condition is to register at a bookmaker. From there, there are three options. You will either receive a sign-up bonus immediately (no deposit bonus), you will have to enter a promo code to receive the bonus, or you will have to deposit some money first and receive a bonus accordingly.
As gambling is well regulated, players will have a national helpline – 1777. More information can be found on the Responsible Gaming Foundation’s website. Also, numerous help groups are present, as well as local psychiatrists.
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