The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has announced the appointment of Charles Mizzi as its new Managing Director, effective next month.

Mizzi will officially start his new role as CEO at the Maltese regulator on January 26. He will replace Charles Brincat, who is stepping down after two years at the helm.

He comes to MGA from Residency Malta Agency, where he served as CEO for five years. Mizzi has also held a number of other senior positions throughout his career. This includes managing the image and communications unit at BNF Bank.

“I am honored to have been given the opportunity to lead the agency,” Mizzi said. “I want to build on the successes of the past and, together with the team led by the responsible minister and the Board of Governors, strategically advance the authority so that Malta’s already strong position in this area can be further strengthened while achieving results.” Added value for all involved .”

Malta’s Minister for Economy, EU Funds and Land, Silvio Schembri, also welcomed Mizzi’s appointment.

“With his extensive experience in leading the operations of a number of companies and his contributions to major projects, Charles is undoubtedly the right candidate to build on what the MGA has achieved to date,” said Schembri.

“He will lead his outstanding colleagues within the agency to further success in the future.”

MGA Bill 55

A possible task for Mizzi upon his arrival will be to defend Europe’s opposition to Malta’s Bill 55. This has proven controversial among other European interest groups, with many saying it is incompatible with European law.

Also known as Article 56A of the Maltese Gambling ActThe bill protects operators licensed in Malta from legal liability arising from their gambling activities.

The controversy followed news in August that Germany’s gambling regulator said the bill was contrary to the law Brussels recast regulation. The regulation regulates the way in which court judgments between EU members are resolved.

Dispute over the legality of Maltese gambling law

The MGA has previously argued that its gambling laws fall under European free movement of services rules.

“The Maltese gambling framework, in turn, fully complies with EU law and is based on the freedoms afforded to a company established in the internal market,” the regulator said.

European regulators and governments have previously pointed to a 2017 Commission decision to end infringement proceedings and complaints in the gambling sector.

This, they argue, means that gambling services cannot be considered a service that can be broadcast across Europe under an MGA license.

Earlier this year, the European Commission said it would review it to ensure it complied with EU law. The Maltese authorities have therefore been asked for further information.

Once the Commission has made its decision, there is a possibility that the case could reach the European Court of Justice. In the past, the court was the final decision-maker in disputes between European and national law.