European gambling regulator the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has disputed claims from Asian gambling operator God55 that it licenses the site.
Key Insights
- The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has confirmed it does not license God55 despite the gambling platform displaying MGA licensing on its site
- Despite claiming it has licensing from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation and Curacao Gaming Authority, it fails to appear on official registries for these regulators as well
- God55 recently partnered with English soccer team Birmingham City FC, which is part-owned by former NFL QB Tom Brady
The MGA posted several links connected to God55 in a news release, explaining that while these sites displayed licensing from the MGA, none of this accreditation was legitimate, and the MGA doesn’t license the platform.
The MGA commented, “The MGA would like to remind consumers not to utilise services provided by an entity unless they have ascertained that the entity in question is authorised to provide such services by the MGA. The gaming regulatory framework obliges authorised persons to comply with strict legal requirements in the interest of consumers. The activities of unlicensed entities are unregulated and do not provide the necessary safeguards delineated by virtue of the framework, making transactions with such entities risky for consumers.”
The site also claims to hold licenses from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and Curacao Gaming Authority.
God55 is based in Malaysia, and PAGCOR does not include it on its list of offshore gaming operators with valid licenses. It also doesn’t appear on Curacao’s list of licensed operators.
The company continues to display images on its site suggesting the MGA, PAGCOR, and CGA license it.
God55 recently partnered with English soccer club Birmingham City FC to become its Asian betting partner. When I visited the site for this article, it popped up with a sports betting welcome bonus featuring Birmingham City FC players Willum Willumsson, Tomoki Iwata, and Alex Cochrane.
Birmingham City FC and God55 are yet to comment on the controversy.
Tom Brady’s impact on Birmingham
NFL legend and seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady holds a minority stake in the club, reported to be around 3.3%. Brady is also a minority stakeholder in the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders.
The former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback has brought plenty of commercial attention to the soccer team since investing in August 2023.
For example, the move to sign with God55 as an Asian betting partner came shortly after the club agreed on a deal with Coral to become its U.K. betting partner.
Coral is owned by Entain, the company that operates legal U.S. sports betting through BetMGM in partnership with MGM Resorts. The U.K. Gambling Commission, the local gambling regulator, licenses Coral to operate in the U.K.
Meanwhile, the club has also inked deals with companies like Delta Airlines and Vertu Motors and extended its shirt sponsorship contract with UNDEFEATED.
