If a casino says it is licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), the complaint route starts with two checks: identify the legal operator and confirm that the exact website address appears in the MGA’s official records. A logo in a footer is not enough. The complaint should then go to the operator before it is escalated to the regulator.
This guide explains the evidence to save, the information requested by the MGA complaint form, and the separate question UK players must ask about Great Britain licensing.
Confirm the casino and legal operator
Start with the MGA Licensee Register and URL Checker. Search for the company name and check the exact domain you used. Record the legal entity, website address and licence details shown in the official result.
Do not assume that a brand name and a company name are identical. A complaint is easier to route when it names the legal business behind the account and the exact domain where the disputed activity occurred. If the site is not shown in the official records, do not describe it as MGA-licensed in the complaint.
For background on what the licence does and does not establish, see our guide to MGA casino licences for UK players.
Complain to the operator first
The MGA says players are strongly encouraged to try to resolve a dispute with the operator’s support and management before submitting a complaint to the Authority. Use the complaints route published on the casino’s own website rather than relying only on live chat.
State clearly:
- the account username or alias;
- the disputed transaction, game or event;
- the relevant dates and times;
- the amount in dispute;
- what happened and what outcome you are requesting; and
- which supporting records are attached.
Keep the complaint reference, the full message, attachments and every response. Screenshots are useful, but exported account records, transaction histories and emails usually preserve more context than a cropped image.
Build a concise evidence file
Before escalating, place the evidence in date order. A practical file can include:
- the operator’s legal name and the exact website URL;
- your username or account alias;
- account statements or transaction records relevant to the dispute;
- screenshots showing the issue, with dates where possible;
- copies of the terms that applied to the transaction;
- the complaint sent to the operator and its reply; and
- a short timeline explaining what happened.
Do not publish passwords, full card details or unnecessary identity documents in public reviews or forums. Send personal records only through the operator’s or regulator’s official channel.
Use the MGA complaint form
The MGA complaint form is the Authority’s formal channel for complaints against MGA-licensed operators. The current form accepts complaints in English or Maltese and asks for personal and incident information.
Required incident fields shown on the form include the reason for the complaint, website URL, gaming operator, account username or alias, game, disputed amount, incident date and time, and a short description of the claim. The MGA also states that it may request identification to process a complaint.
Write the description as a factual timeline. Separate what you can prove from what you suspect. If the issue involves several transactions, attach or summarise them consistently rather than presenting unrelated screenshots without dates or account references.
Check whether Great Britain rules also apply
An MGA licence and a Great Britain operating licence are different. If a business provides remote gambling facilities to consumers in Great Britain, check the exact business and domain in the UK Gambling Commission public register.
The register can be searched by business name, trading name, domain name or account number. On 24 September 2026, it also explained that licence and domain statuses can change, so check the live record rather than relying on an old review.
For a Great Britain-licensed business, the UK Gambling Commission complaint process says to complain to the business first, follow its policy and retain evidence. It says the business has eight weeks to resolve the complaint, after which an unresolved dispute may be eligible for Alternative Dispute Resolution. That eight-week statement belongs to the Great Britain process and should not be copied onto an MGA-only complaint.
Avoid common complaint mistakes
Several mistakes make a complaint harder to assess:
- naming only the brand and not the legal operator;
- omitting the exact domain used;
- leaving out the account alias or disputed amount;
- sending an allegation without a dated timeline;
- deleting emails or chat records after taking screenshots;
- using abusive or threatening language; or
- sending the case to a regulator that does not cover the operator or website.
The MGA warns that fictitious details, fabricated claims, threats or abusive language can lead to rejection. Keep the submission accurate, focused and supported by records.
A simple submission checklist
Before sending the complaint, confirm that:
- the operator and domain appear in the MGA’s official records;
- the operator has received a direct complaint;
- the disputed amount, date, time and game are stated;
- the account username or alias is included;
- evidence is organised in date order;
- the requested outcome is clear; and
- the correct regulator’s official form is being used.
This article was reviewed against the MGA’s official complaint form and licence-register page, and the UK Gambling Commission’s complaint guidance and public register on 24 September 2026. Procedures and register entries can change, so use the live official pages when submitting a case.