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High-risk merchant accounts

High-risk payment gateway and merchant accounts in Malta

OpenGate is a payment gateway for businesses in Malta in high-risk sectors: 23 of the 27 sectors we cover are open to apply, from MGA-licensed casinos, betting and fantasy sports to crypto under MiCA, supplements, adult platforms and subscription billing. Malta bans cross-border online sales of vapes and tobacco to consumers in Malta, and gives kratom and unauthorized peptides no lawful route. An underwriter answers within 1 business day.

Apply to start processingHow it works

At a glance

Malta

Sectors open
23 of 27
Currency
Charge in EUR or other currencies, settle in EUR or yours
First answer
Within 1 business day
Go-live
As little as two weeks with a complete file
VisaMastercardAmerican ExpressApple PayGoogle PayPayPalSEPA Direct Debit

Sectors

Which Maltese businesses we onboard

For a company selling online to consumers in Malta, or from Malta under an MGA license, checked against the texts in force on October 27, 2026. Malta licenses gaming in detail, applies EU payment and consumer law, keeps vapes and tobacco out of cross-border online sales, and has no online pharmacy serving local patients. Every file is underwritten: open means open to apply, not approved in advance.

Open to apply

14

The sector's general rules apply.

  • Social Casino & SweepstakesExempt when nothing of money's worth can be won; prize sweepstakes need licensing

    A game of chance that requires no stake, or offers no possible prize, is an exempt game under Malta's Gaming Authorisations Regulations unless the MGA decides otherwise, so coin-only social casinos need no license. The Gaming Act defines a prize as money or money's worth: paid entries into draws or games that pay out cash or redeemable value are licensable gaming.

    Gaming Authorisations Regulations (S.L. 583.05), Second Schedule (PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • CBD & HempCBD with 0.2% THC or less is not a drug; CBD foods remain unauthorized

    Malta's Dangerous Drugs Ordinance excludes from cannabis hemp seeds and products of non-psychoactive cannabinoids such as CBD, CBG, CBC and CBDV with no more than 0.2% THC, and since Act XII of 2025 treats synthetic cannabinoids such as HHC as prohibited drugs. CBD foods and supplements remain unauthorized novel foods under EU law. Cannabis itself reaches consumers only on prescription or through non-profit members' associations.

    Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, Cap. 101 (PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Nutraceuticals & SupplementsEach supplement notified with its label before first sale in Malta

    The manufacturer or importer notifies each food supplement before it first goes on the Maltese market, sending a model of the label; the notification receipt takes at least two weeks. Malta's Food Supplements Regulations also say supplements may be dispensed only by a pharmacist, a doctor or another suitably qualified person, ban disease claims, and require prior approval above set vitamin and mineral levels.

    Food Supplements Regulations, S.L. 449.36 (PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Coaching & Info Products14-day withdrawal; an online withdrawal function required since June 19, 2026

    No sector license applies, only consumer law. Buyers have 14 days to withdraw from a distance contract, and digital content delivered at once loses that right only with the buyer's prior express consent and acknowledgment. Since June 19, 2026 an online sale needs a function labeled "withdraw from contract here", a "confirm withdrawal" step and an acknowledgment of receipt; misleading results claims are unfair practices.

    Consumer Rights (Amendment) Regulations 2026, L.N. 145 of 2026 (PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Tech Support & IT ServicesGeneral consumer law applies; misleading and aggressive sales practices are prohibited

    No sector license applies. Buyers get a 14-day withdrawal right and, since June 19, 2026, an online withdrawal function, and a trader may not charge more for a payment method than it costs. Misleading and aggressive commercial practices are prohibited, and widespread cross-border breaches can draw penalties of up to 4% of annual turnover in the member states concerned.

    Consumer Affairs Act, Cap. 378 (PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • MLM & Direct SellingDistributor selling is lawful; pyramid promotional schemes are banned in all circumstances

    Malta's Consumer Affairs Act lists the pyramid promotional scheme among practices unfair in all circumstances: a scheme where consumers pay for the chance of compensation that comes mainly from bringing in other consumers rather than from selling or consuming products. A network that pays distributors on genuine product sales to end customers stays lawful under general consumer law.

    Consumer Affairs Act, Cap. 378, First Schedule (PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Adult & Creator PlatformsLawful for adults; extreme pornographic images are a criminal offense

    No Maltese offense of selling adult content to adults online was found. The Criminal Code punishes displaying pornographic material in public places and, under article 208D, making, importing or distributing extreme pornographic images, such as non-consensual acts, bestiality or necrophilia, with up to three years in prison. Hosting providers established in Malta register with the MCA, Malta's Digital Services Coordinator.

    Criminal Code, Cap. 9, articles 208 and 208D (PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Online DatingNo dating-specific law; consumer and platform rules apply

    No Maltese law specific to dating services was found. Paid memberships follow consumer law: the price per billing period shown before the order, a 14-day withdrawal right, with a proportionate charge if the member asked the service to start early, and a withdrawal function since June 19, 2026. Platforms hosting user profiles follow the Digital Services Act and, if established in Malta, register with the MCA.

    Consumer Rights Regulations, S.L. 378.17 (PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Timeshare & Vacation Clubs14 days to withdraw, no advance payment; contracts in Maltese or English

    Under rules enforced by the Malta Tourism Authority, buyers of timeshares, holiday clubs and resale or exchange services have 14 calendar days to withdraw, and the trader may take no deposit, guarantee or acknowledgment of debt in that time. A Malta resident gets the contract in Maltese or English, holiday clubs bill in equal yearly installments, and street promoters need MTA licenses.

    Timeshare and long-term holiday product regulations, S.L. 409.02 (PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Ticket Resale & EventsNo Maltese resale price cap found; reselling bot-bought tickets is banned

    No Maltese law capping the resale price of event tickets was found. Reselling tickets to consumers that the trader bought with automated tools to get around purchase limits is an unfair practice in all circumstances under the Consumer Affairs Act, and tickets for an event on a specific date carry no 14-day withdrawal right, so a buyer who cannot attend has no statutory way out.

    Consumer Affairs Act, Cap. 378, First Schedule (PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Dropshipping & Cross-Border€3 duty per item on non-EU parcels since July; €2 handling fee from November

    Sellers declare EU VAT on sales to Maltese consumers through the OSS, or the IOSS for imports worth up to €150. Low-value parcels from outside the EU have paid a temporary €3 customs duty per item category since July 1, 2026; from November 1, 2026 a €2 Union handling fee applies and product identifiers become mandatory in customs data.

    European Commission: EU customs reform(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Subscription & ContinuityPrice per billing period upfront; unfair auto-renewal terms are prohibited

    For subscriptions, the total price must include the cost per billing period, and monthly cost for fixed-rate plans, before the order. The Consumer Affairs Act lists among prohibited terms one renewing a fixed-term contract automatically when the deadline to object is unreasonably early. Since June 19, 2026 online sellers must also offer a withdrawal function during the 14-day period.

    Consumer Affairs Act, Cap. 378, Part VII (PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Auto Transport & ExportRegistration tax is refunded on export only in narrow, listed cases

    Malta's Motor Vehicles Registration and Licensing Act says registration tax is not refunded except in listed cases, such as a vehicle exported without ever being used in Malta or a leased or hire vehicle taken out of Malta, which earns back the residual tax. Transport Malta cancels the registration of a vehicle permanently exported, and provisionally registered vehicles must leave within 90 days.

    Motor Vehicles Registration and Licensing Act, Cap. 368 (PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Alcohol & Age-Restricted RetailAlcohol may not be sold to anyone under 17

    Malta's Code of Police Laws makes it unlawful to sell alcohol to anyone under 17, or to buy it on a minor's behalf, and counts wine, beer, cider and spirits as alcohol; a minor who misstates their age to obtain it also commits an offense. No Maltese ban on online alcohol sales was found, so age checks at order and at delivery carry the compliance.

    Code of Police Laws, Cap. 10, articles 316C to 316F (PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

Open with your license

9

Send the license or registration your sector needs.

  • Casino & SportsbookMGA B2C license or recognition notice for any gaming service to Maltese players

    Casino games, betting and poker offered from Malta or to any person in Malta need a B2C gaming service license from the Malta Gaming Authority, held by an entity established in the EEA, or a recognition notice for an operator licensed in another EEA state. Players must be 18, are offered deposit or wagering limits before their first deposit, and may never be given credit.

    Malta Gaming Authority: remote gaming services(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Fantasy Sports & Skill GamesPaid fantasy sports are controlled skill games under an MGA Type 4 license

    Under MGA Directive 6 of 2018, fantasy sports played for a stake, a subscription or paid in-game advantages, with prizes of money or money's worth and results built from real athletes' statistics, are controlled skill games: operators in or from Malta need a Type 4 license. Other paid skill games stay exempt unless the MGA rules otherwise, and the operator bears the burden of proving skill.

    MGA: Directive 6 of 2018, controlled skill games ruling on fantasy sports (PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Forex & CFDMiFID license or passport; retail CFD margins capped and binary options banned

    Dealing CFDs or rolling spot forex with clients in Malta needs MiFID authorization, such as a Category 3 investment services license from the MFSA for dealing on own account, or an EU passport. Since 2019 the MFSA rulebook sets retail CFD margins from 3.33% on major currency pairs to 50% on crypto, with negative balance protection and no trading incentives, and bans selling binary options to retail clients.

    MFSA: restrictions on the sale of CFDs to retail clients (August 2019)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Crypto & Web3MiCA CASP license or EU passport; the VFA transition ended June 30, 2026

    Malta implements MiCA through the Markets in Crypto-Assets Act (Cap. 647), supervised by the MFSA. The transitional regime for holders of a Virtual Financial Assets Act license expired on June 30, 2026, and the MFSA told providers without a CASP license by then to stop onboarding clients and wind down. Providers authorized in another member state can passport into Malta.

    MFSA and FIAU: Dear CEO letter on the transition from VFA to CASP (June 2026, PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Credit Repair & Debt ServicesNo credit repair license; credit brokers need MFSA admission from November 20, 2026

    No Maltese license was found for credit repair or debt settlement as such, but lending to consumers needs a bank or financial institution license from the MFSA. From November 20, 2026, anyone presenting, preparing or concluding consumer credit agreements for a fee must be admitted by the MFSA, with a head office in Malta, and bank consumer loans are capped at a 16% APRC.

    MFSA: circular on the new Consumer Credit Directive (November 2025, PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Telehealth & WellnessDoctors practicing in Malta need a license and a Medical Register entry

    Under the Health Care Professions Act, no one may practice as a medical practitioner in Malta without a license issued by the President of Malta and an entry in the Medical Register. Professionals established elsewhere in the EU may provide temporary and occasional services under the qualifications rules. No Maltese telemedicine rulebook was found, and prescription medicines are supplied only against a valid prescription.

    Health Care Professions Act, Cap. 464 (PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Online PharmacyNo Maltese online pharmacy serves local patients; EU-registered pharmacies may sell into Malta

    Malta's Medicines Act and Pharmacy Licence Regulations provide for physical community pharmacies, not internet pharmacies serving patients in Malta. Since April 28, 2026, S.L. 458.64 licenses online dispensing from Maltese free zones to consumers outside the EU, on prescription. A pharmacy registered in another EU state may sell to people in Malta only medicines authorized in Malta, under their Maltese prescription status.

    Malta Medicines Authority: internet pharmacies(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Travel & Tour OperatorsMalta Tourism Authority license; packages backed by Malta's insolvency fund

    Travel agencies, destination management companies and excursion organizers in Malta need a Malta Tourism Authority license, with at least €250,000 in third-party liability cover. Licensed package organizers contribute to the Package Travel Insolvency Fund, kept at €500,000 or more, and must issue every customer a certificate listing prepayments and travel dates, which the traveler needs to claim a refund.

    Package Travel Insolvency Fund Regulations, S.L. 409.18 (PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Firearms & AccessoriesPolice dealer license; every buyer must hold a license for that arm

    Under Malta's Arms Act, trading as an arms dealer needs a license from the Commissioner of Police, and no dealer or other person may sell, transfer or deliver a firearm or ammunition to anyone without a license for it; each sale is recorded and reported within 15 days. Importing firearms needs a permit, and carrying most knives outside the home needs a license.

    Arms Act, Cap. 480 (PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

Not processable

Unlawful to sell to customers in this market.

  • KratomNot on Malta's drug schedules, but an unauthorized novel food in the EU

    Mitragynine and Mitragyna speciosa do not appear in the current consolidated schedules of Malta's Dangerous Drugs Ordinance or Medical and Kindred Professions Ordinance. Sold as a tea, powder or capsule, kratom is treated in the EU as a novel food that needs authorization before it can be sold as food, and none has been granted, so no lawful route to Maltese consumers exists.

    RASFF Window: unauthorized novel food (Mitragyna speciosa), notification 2022.6775(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • E-Liquids & VapesCross-border distance sales of e-cigarettes and refills to Malta are prohibited

    Malta prohibits cross-border distance sales of electronic cigarettes and refill containers, with or without nicotine, to consumers located in Malta, as it does for tobacco and herbal smoking products. Products sold in Malta are notified through EU-CEG six months before sale, nicotine liquid is capped at 20 mg/ml in 10 ml refills or 2 ml tanks, and Malta-based sellers register before shipping to other EU states.

    Environmental Health Directorate: cross-border distance sales of tobacco products(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Peptides & LongevityResearch peptides and unlicensed GLP-1 copies are unauthorized medicines; no lawful sale

    Under Malta's Medicines Act, no medicinal product may be placed on the market without a marketing authorization, and medicines may be sold by retail only under a pharmacy license. Research peptides and unlicensed GLP-1 copies sold for injection or for their effect on the body are unauthorized medicines, so no pharmacy in Malta or elsewhere in the EU may sell them to Maltese consumers.

    Medicines Act, Cap. 458 (PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

  • Tobacco & NicotineNo cross-border distance sales into Malta; snus banned; pouches need excise stamps

    Malta prohibits cross-border distance sales of tobacco products and herbal smoking products to consumers located in Malta, bans selling any tobacco product to anyone under 18, and bans smokeless tobacco such as snus and chewing tobacco, heated tobacco excepted. Nicotine pouches have carried excise duty of €8 per kilogram since April 1, 2026, and may be sold only with an excise stamp.

    Tobacco and related products regulations, S.L. 315.10 (PDF)(opens in a new tab)Sector page

Some products cannot be processed even inside sectors we accept: gaming for players in markets where the operator holds no license, cash-prize sweepstakes without an MGA license, credit extended to players, and CBD sold as a food or supplement.

Payment methods

How your customers pay a Maltese merchant

We switch these methods on for a merchant in Malta one by one, within each brand's rules for your sector and, for gaming, the MGA's player funds rules. Your written offer names the ones agreed.

  • VisaMastercardAmerican ExpressApple PayGoogle PayPayPal

    Cards and wallets

    Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal

    Visa, Mastercard and American Express, with Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal. Consumer cards issued and acquired in the EEA carry capped interchange, and no electronic payment may be surcharged in Malta.

  • SEPA Direct DebitBank transfersTrustly

    SEPA, transfer and Trustly

    SEPA Direct Debit, Bank transfers, Trustly

    SEPA direct debit, bank transfer and Trustly. Malta uses the euro, and its banks send and receive SEPA instant transfers, with the payee's name checked against the IBAN.

  • Klarna

    Pay later

    Klarna

    Klarna, for merchants selling goods and services outside gaming, within Klarna's rules for your sector.

  • paysafecardSkrillNETELLERMuchBetter

    Vouchers and e-wallets

    paysafecard, Skrill, NETELLER, MuchBetter

    Prepaid paysafecard vouchers and Skrill, NETELLER and MuchBetter wallets, the methods many iGaming players already use, within each brand's rules for your sector.

See all payment methods

The process

From your file to your first payout

  1. Send your file

    Your MBR company documents, beneficial ownership certificate, VAT number, your MGA license and key function approvals if you offer gaming, and recent processing statements if you have them.

  2. An underwriter answers

    Within 1 business day you learn the route, the documents still missing, or that the file cannot be placed.

  3. Your written offer

    Rates, reserve, payout schedule and settlement currency, set down in writing before any commitment.

  4. Go live

    Integration, test payments, then live traffic under monitoring: as little as two weeks with a complete file.

The file

The file of a Maltese company

  • Your certificate of registration and a recent company extract from the Malta Business Registry
  • Your memorandum and articles of association
  • Your beneficial ownership certificate, matching the MBR register
  • Your VAT number: MT-prefixed under article 10 if you make taxable supplies
  • Your MGA license, the markets you serve and your key function approvals, if you offer gaming
  • Three to six months of processing statements, if you have them
  • The license your sector needs, where the list above names one

Local rules

Six Maltese rules behind most account decisions

Malta writes detailed rules for the money gaming operators hold, applies EU payment and consumer law as a euro-area state, and checks who owns every company. Each sector above and each topic below opens on the full rule and its source.

In detail

Maltese rules in detail

The regulators, cards and SEPA, the payment rules of gaming, consumer law, VAT and tax, disputes, the company file, and the mistakes that cost Maltese accounts. Open a topic for the rule, its dates and its sources.

Who regulates high-risk sales in Malta

Malta applies EU payment, consumer and data law as a euro-area member state, and adds its own regulators for gaming, financial services and company records.

Regulator What it covers What it asks of a merchant
MFSA (opens in a new tab) Payment and e-money institutions, investment services, crypto under MiCA Nothing direct for most merchants; your acquirer must be licensed or passported, and a forex or crypto business needs its own authorization
Central Bank of Malta (opens in a new tab) Payment systems, SEPA, the interchange rules, part of PSD2 Nothing direct; it supervises the interchange caps
Malta Gaming Authority (opens in a new tab) Gaming licenses, player protection, player funds A B2C or B2B license, approved key function holders, segregated player funds
FIAU (opens in a new tab) Anti-money laundering, with binding procedures for remote gaming Due diligence on players and registration of the MLRO, for gaming licensees
MCCAA (opens in a new tab) The Consumer Affairs Act and consumer complaints Honest sales, the withdrawal right, no unfair terms
IDPC (opens in a new tab) The GDPR and the Data Protection Act A lawful basis for every processing
MTCA (opens in a new tab) VAT, OSS and corporate tax The right VAT registration and returns
Malta Business Registry (opens in a new tab) Companies and the register of beneficial owners Filings on time and an accurate beneficial owner entry

Cards, SEPA and authentication

EU interchange caps apply in Malta, and Malta has used the regulation’s discretion: regulations made by the Minister for Finance (S.L. 204.08) cap domestic consumer debit interchange at 0.15% and credit at 0.30%, with the Central Bank as competent authority; cross-border EEA consumer debit stays at 0.2%. Under PSD2, which Malta applies through the Financial Institutions Act and Central Bank Directive No. 1, online payments need strong customer authentication and merchants may not add a fee for paying by card. A cardholder’s liability for a lost or stolen card is capped at €50 unless they acted fraudulently or with gross negligence, and banks answer payment complaints within 15 business days, 35 in exceptional cases. The 3-D Secure guide covers the authentication flows that hold up.

Malta has used the euro since January 1, 2008. Its banks had to receive instant euro transfers by January 9, 2025 and send them by October 9, 2025, check the payee’s name against the IBAN, and charge no more for an instant transfer than for a standard one. As a fraud measure, the Central Bank lets Maltese providers delay by up to six hours a customer’s change to their instant transfer limit. The Central Bank operates MTEUROPAY, which settles SEPA credit transfers and direct debits for Maltese banks and payment institutions through the EBA’s STEP2 platform.

The payment rules of gaming

The MGA’s Player Protection Directive treats player funds as the players’ separate patrimony: the licensee’s creditors have no claim on them. The player funds balance, funds in transit included, must at all times at least equal what is owed to players, with at least 90% held in the player funds account, and a shortfall is made good from the licensee’s own funds at once. The MGA counts acquiring arrangements within the player funds account, since money sits with the acquirer until settlement. Withdrawals are paid within five working days if practicable, to the account the money came from where possible, and licensees may never offer or facilitate credit to players.

The FIAU’s procedures for remote gaming require customer due diligence once a player’s deposits reach €2,000, bar any withdrawal until it is complete, call for enhanced checks when a player uses several payment methods or there is doubt the method is theirs, and rate prepaid cards and vouchers, which can be bought with cash, as high-risk funding methods.

Article 56A of the Gaming Act, added in 2023, tells Maltese courts to refuse to enforce foreign judgments against Maltese licensees for services lawful in Malta. The Commission opened infringement proceedings over it on June 18, 2025, and on April 23, 2026 an Advocate General of the Court of Justice, in a non-binding opinion that first found the Austrian reference inadmissible, called it manifestly incompatible with EU rules on judgments, adding that a Maltese license is in principle valid only in Malta; the Court has not ruled. In May 2026 the Court held, in a case brought against Mr Green, that a court abroad may weigh article 56A, as context alongside the operator’s own conduct, when deciding whether to freeze an operator’s accounts. Player claims from markets without a local license therefore weigh on reserves and account decisions.

Consumer law: withdrawal, fees and gaming

Malta’s Consumer Rights Regulations give buyers 14 days to withdraw from a distance contract, 30 days after an unsolicited home visit or excursion, and 12 more months if the trader omitted the withdrawal information. Refunds are due within 14 days by the same means of payment. Since June 19, 2026, an online contract needs a function labeled “withdraw from contract here”, a “confirm withdrawal” step and an acknowledgment on a durable medium. A trader may not charge more for a payment method than the cost it bears. Gambling contracts, the stakes themselves, are outside these regulations; the other online sales of the same company are not. Disputes not settled by conciliation go to the Consumer Claims Tribunal, for claims up to €10,000.

VAT and corporate tax

The standard VAT rate is 18%, with reduced rates of 12%, 7%, 5% and zero for listed supplies. A company making taxable supplies registers under article 10 of the VAT Act within 30 days of its first supply and receives an MT-prefixed number that charges VAT, recovers input VAT and works for intra-EU trade; a small business under the domestic threshold may opt for article 11, with no MT prefix and no recovery. Betting, lotteries and other approved gambling are exempt without credit. Malta runs the EU One Stop Shop and the Import One Stop Shop through the MTCA.

MGA B2C licensees pay gaming tax of 5% of the gaming revenue from players in Malta, on top of the annual license fee and the compliance contribution. Companies pay 35% corporate tax, with refunds to shareholders on distribution, or may elect since 2025 a final 15% rate for at least five years, with no refund.

Refunds and disputes

Chargebacks follow the card schemes’ rules. Under Malta’s transposition of PSD2, a payer has 13 months from the debit date to report an unauthorized or incorrectly executed payment, and SEPA direct debit payers also have an unconditional refund right. Consumers and micro-enterprises can take a complaint against an MFSA-licensed provider to the Arbiter for Financial Services after giving it 15 working days to answer; awards are binding, subject to appeal, and capped at €250,000 per claimant.

For gaming, B2C licensees run a player support function and a written complaints procedure, and offer free referral to an alternative dispute resolution entity; players can also complain to the MGA, which lists payment and withdrawal problems among its complaint reasons. Every chargeback still counts toward your chargeback ratio.

The company file

The Malta Business Registry registers companies through its BAROS portal, where anyone can search a company and buy its public documents, such as certificates of good standing; beneficial ownership information is open only to authorities, obliged entities and people with a proven legitimate interest. A company files its annual return within 42 days of each anniversary of registration, its accounts within ten months and 42 days of year-end for a private company, and changes to directors, shares, registered office or articles within 14 days. A change of beneficial owner is notified within 14 days, and a beneficial ownership return is due on every anniversary of registration. Acquirers must report discrepancies with the register, and where the Registrar has to correct it, each officer risks a penalty of up to €100,000. Since July 2025, recast in July 2026, obliged entities access the register for due diligence and others need a proven legitimate interest.

MGA licensees also need the MGA’s approval before appointing any key function holder, from the chief executive and the MLRO to the person managing payments, risk and fraud, and the MGA approves directors too. Since March 9, 2021, paying or receiving €10,000 or more in cash is an offense when buying or selling property, motor vehicles, sea-craft, jewelry, precious metals, precious stones and pearls, works of art or antiques.

Mistakes that cost Maltese merchants their accounts

  1. Taking players from markets that require their own license. An MGA license does not open the EU, and article 56A does not protect assets held abroad.
  2. Player funds mixed with operating money, or a balance below what players are owed. The MGA requires full cover at all times, with at least 90% in the player funds account.
  3. Letting players withdraw before due diligence is done. The FIAU procedures bar any withdrawal until it is complete, from €2,000 of deposits.
  4. Paying out to a different method than the deposit. The MGA expects withdrawals to go back to the source where possible, and acquirers read anything else as a laundering flag.
  5. An out-of-date beneficial owner register. Changes are due within 14 days, and acquirers must report discrepancies.
  6. A key function left vacant or filled without MGA approval. Acquirers match the names on the file with the MGA’s approvals.
  7. No withdrawal function on a non-gaming online shop. It is required since June 19, 2026, and missing information stretches the withdrawal period by 12 months.
  8. Charging a card fee. PSD2 forbids it, and any payment-method fee is capped at the trader’s cost.

Most of these are fixed before go-live. A business model that needs one of them to work is declined, whatever its volume.

FAQ

Malta payment gateway FAQ

How do I get a payment gateway in Malta for an iGaming or high-risk business?

Send your Malta Business Registry documents, beneficial ownership certificate, VAT number and the license your sector needs, with your MGA key function approvals if you offer gaming. An underwriter answers within 1 business day with a route, the documents still missing or a no, and go-live can follow two weeks later with a complete file. The iGaming guide covers what acquirers check for gaming.

Which Maltese businesses are considered high risk?

Acquirers treat a business as high risk when its sector draws more disputes, fraud or regulation than average. In Malta that usually means gaming, forex and crypto, supplements, adult platforms, travel and subscription billing, while cross-border online sales of vapes and tobacco to Malta are banned and kratom and unapproved peptides have no lawful route. The list above gives the Maltese position of each of the 27 sectors we cover.

How much does a high-risk merchant account cost in Malta?

Pricing follows the card schemes' interchange and fees, your sector and your history: the acquirer's margin and the reserve depend on your chargeback record and delivery model. Domestic Maltese debit interchange is capped at 0.15%, below the EU's 0.2%. Pricing shows the indicative ranges, and your written offer lists every fee before you sign.

Does an MGA license let me take players from every EU country?

No. EU states may require their own gambling license, and an Advocate General of the Court of Justice said in a non-binding opinion in April 2026 that a Maltese license is in principle valid only in Malta. Processing players from a market where you hold no license weighs on your reserve and can end the account. Tell us which markets you serve and under which license.

What does the MGA require of player deposits and withdrawals?

Player funds sit apart from the operator's money, with at least 90% in the player funds account, and the balance must always cover what players are owed. Withdrawals go back, where possible, to the account the money came from, within five working days if practicable, and no credit may be offered to players.

Can I add a card surcharge in Malta?

No. PSD2 bars merchants in Malta from adding a fee for paying by card, and the Consumer Rights Regulations cap any fee for a payment method at the trader's own cost. Build the cost of acceptance into your prices.

Do the 14-day withdrawal right and the withdrawal button apply to gaming?

Not to the stakes. Malta's Consumer Rights Regulations exclude gambling contracts, so wagers carry no withdrawal right. Any other online sale by the same company, such as a subscription or merchandise, needs the 14-day right and, since June 19, 2026, the "withdraw from contract here" function.

Which VAT registration does a Maltese company need?

A company making taxable supplies registers under article 10 of the VAT Act and receives an MT-prefixed number, which charges 18% VAT, recovers input VAT and works for intra-EU trade. An article 11 registration has no MT prefix. Betting and other approved gambling are exempt without credit, so gaming stakes carry no VAT, and a gaming-only operator making only exempt supplies does not register under article 10.

Can I charge in euros and be paid in US dollars?

Yes. Your customers pay in EUR or other supported currencies, and you settle in EUR, USD or the currency agreed in your offer. The payout schedule and any conversion fee are set out in the offer before you sign.

My Stripe or PayPal account was closed. Can I apply?

Yes. Mainstream processors leave many high-risk sectors by policy, and a closure says little about your file on its own. Attach the closure notice to your application; the account closure guide explains what to do about funds still held.

Malta

Open your Maltese gate.

Send your file with the license your sector needs. An underwriter reads it within 1 business day and comes back with a route, the documents still missing, or a plain no.

Apply to start processingTalk to an underwriter

Free to apply. A human answer within 1 business day.

Facts checked on · 32 sources

This page describes the rules as we read them on that date. It is not legal advice: confirm them with counsel for your business and your products.

  1. MFSA: financial institutions(opens in a new tab)
  2. MFSA: crypto-assets(opens in a new tab)
  3. Central Bank of Malta: payment systems(opens in a new tab)
  4. Central Bank of Malta: Interchange Fee Regulation(opens in a new tab)
  5. Central Bank of Malta: the Single Euro Payments Area(opens in a new tab)
  6. Central Bank of Malta: temporary delay for changes to SEPA instant transfer limits (September 2025)(opens in a new tab)
  7. Central Bank of Malta: Directive No. 1, provision and use of payment services (PDF)(opens in a new tab)
  8. MGA: statement on the letter of formal notice on article 56A (June 2025)(opens in a new tab)
  9. Online dispensing from free zones, S.L. 458.64 (PDF)(opens in a new tab)
  10. Superintendence of Public Health: medical cannabinoids(opens in a new tab)
  11. Interchange fee regulations, S.L. 204.08 (PDF)(opens in a new tab)
  12. MGA: frequently asked questions(opens in a new tab)
  13. MGA: guidance note on license fees and taxation (PDF)(opens in a new tab)
  14. MGA: key functions(opens in a new tab)
  15. MGA: Directive 5 of 2018, alternative dispute resolution (PDF)(opens in a new tab)
  16. MGA: lodge a complaint(opens in a new tab)
  17. Court of Justice of the EU: press release on the Advocate General's opinion in C-683/24 (April 2026, PDF)(opens in a new tab)
  18. Court of Justice of the EU: judgment in C-198/24, Mr Green (May 2026)(opens in a new tab)
  19. FIAU: implementing procedures(opens in a new tab)
  20. FIAU: use of cash restriction regulations(opens in a new tab)
  21. MCCAA: Consumer Claims Tribunal(opens in a new tab)
  22. IDPC: legislation(opens in a new tab)
  23. MTCA: VAT rates(opens in a new tab)
  24. MTCA: VAT registrations and de-registrations FAQ (PDF)(opens in a new tab)
  25. MTCA: One Stop Shop(opens in a new tab)
  26. MTCA: corporate tax(opens in a new tab)
  27. Final Income Tax Without Imputation Regulations 2025, L.N. 188 of 2025(opens in a new tab)
  28. Malta Business Registry: knowing your responsibilities and duties(opens in a new tab)
  29. Malta Business Registry: company search and documents made public(opens in a new tab)
  30. Register of Beneficial Owners access rules, L.N. 184 of 2026(opens in a new tab)
  31. Office of the Arbiter for Financial Services: taking your complaint further(opens in a new tab)
  32. VAT Act, Cap. 406 (PDF)(opens in a new tab)