Mozzartbet Exits Malta: Strategic Shift Away from .com Domain

The international gambling landscape is witnessing another significant shift in licensing strategies. Mozzartbet Group has officially announced that it will cease operations under its Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) license starting October 1, 2026. This decision primarily affects the well-known website Mozzart.com, which has served as the company's international storefront since March 2019. The management communicated this step to media partners in late August, marking a clear departure from the traditional .com business model.

This withdrawal is not a sign of weakness but rather a deliberate concentration on national markets. Mozzartbet intends to consolidate its resources in regions where the company holds specific local authorizations. In a notice to affiliate partners, it was clarified that the decision relates solely to the MGA-licensed business. The brand is responding to global developments where national regulations are gaining importance, while general EU licenses for cross-border services face increasing pressure.

Numbers and facts

The Mozzartbet Group has a long history, founded in 2001 in Belgrade by Serbian entrepreneur Dejan Čakajac. Since then, the provider has grown into one of the leading gambling groups in Southeast Europe. With approximately 1,000 retail betting shops and over 5,000 employees worldwide, the group is a heavyweight in the industry. The license MGA/B2C/606/2018, which is now being retired, will lose its validity for operational business by the October deadline.

For the company's partners, this step means a short-term transition. Commission settlements will be calculated for all activity generated up to and including September 30. Subsequently, affiliate links will be deactivated via the MyAffiliates platform. Despite the closure of the Malta domain, Mozzartbet remains active in numerous countries. These include core markets such as Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, and North Macedonia. Operations on the African continent in Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana also remain unaffected under their respective local licenses.

Background

The strategic shift aligns with the current expansion policy, which focuses less on mass and more on technological depth. Recently, the company announced it would utilize Fast Track's CRM platform to enhance player engagement in regulated markets through Artificial Intelligence. Nemanja Savkovic, COO at Mozzartbet, emphasized the importance of deeply understanding their own markets and customer needs to remain competitive. The company's vision remains ambitious.

"This decision follows our determination to focus exclusively on the markets in which we hold local licences and operate under local regulation." - Company Spokesperson, Mozzartbet Malta Limited

Miloš Ranđić, Director for the Online Casino Portfolio, has previously stated that Mozzart's vision is to hold a strong leadership position and stand out from the competition through quality. Concentrating on local licenses allows the provider to respond more specifically to national laws, increasing legal certainty for both the company and its customers.

Why it matters for German players

For players in Germany, this withdrawal has a signaling effect, even though Mozzartbet is not currently a major name on the German whitelist. Since the Interstate Treaty on Gambling (GlüStV 2021) came into force, the German market has been strictly regulated. Providers without a license from the Joint Gambling Authority of the States (GGL) operate in a legal gray area or are simply illegal. The withdrawal of Mozzart.com shows that the model of serving customers across Europe via an MGA license is no longer attractive for many corporations.

German customers should ensure they only play with providers listed on the official GGL whitelist. There, critical player protection measures such as the 1,000 Euro monthly deposit limit and the 1 Euro per round stake limit for slots are legally mandated. Connection to the central OASIS exclusion system and the LUGAS monitoring system is mandatory for serious providers in Germany. A provider like Mozzartbet, focusing on locally regulated markets, acknowledges that national rules define the future of iGaming.

What it means for GGL-licensed casinos

For casinos with a German GGL license, the withdrawal of international MGA platforms signifies a market consolidation. Fewer semi-legal .com offerings mean competition will concentrate within the regulated space. This strengthens the position of providers who bear the high costs of taxes and player protection in Germany. When large groups like Mozzartbet emphasize the value of local licenses, it validates the GGL's path of curbing the black market through channeling into legal avenues.