MGA seals data sharing deal with darts regulatory body
The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has signed a data-sharing agreement with the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA), while the regulator has also announced a partial reopening of gaming parlours on the island.
The agreement with the DRA, the body responsible for regulating professional and amateur darts competitions worldwide, aims to ensure suspicious activity and betting-related corruption can be properly investigated.
“The DRA performs an important role in keeping darts safe from corruption and match-fixing,” its chair Nigel Mawer said. “This new partnership with the MGA will go a long way towards helping the DRA protect the sport.
“It sends a clear message that the DRA has the worldwide ability to detect and prosecute players who breach the betting rules and damage the sport.”
MGA sports integrity manager Antonio Zerafa added: “The novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic altered the very foundations of sports betting. However, these unprecedented circumstances did not diminish our ambitions towards meeting and partnering with new sport governing bodies such as DRA.”
Similar agreements have been signed in recent weeks with the likes of the World Professional Billiards & Snooker Association and Malta’s Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit.
In related news, the MGA allowed gaming parlours (gaming halls) to reopen from Friday 22 May, albeit only allowing over-the-counter sports betting. The venues had been shut since 17 March as a result of Covid-19. Customers are now able to place bets at the facilities, though no other products will be permitted for the time being.
It comes after lotto booths were allowed to resume selling tickets, from 4 May.
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