- Casino
- By State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- By State
- Slots
- Poker
- Sports
- Esports
Casino Malta Fined $242K Over Due Diligence Failings
Serious shortcomings in due diligence and risk assessment resulted in Malta’s Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU) fining the St Julian’s casino

FIAU conducted an investigation that uncovered a serious need for an overhaul in Casino Malta’s internal procedures, especially ones concerning risk assessment, but other administrative shortcomings were also heavily outlined in the resulting report.
Multiple Breaches Established in FIAU Investigation
According to information from Malta Today, FIAU’s investigation found that the Eden Leisure Gaming-owned St Julian’s casino systematically failed in enhanced due diligence processes, especially with identifiable high-risk players. The report has it that this was evident in around 28% of the cases that FIAU reviewed during its investigation.
Another reason for the substantial €229,000 (approximately $242,500) fine was that Casino Malta breached several other laws, in addition to established regulations on risk assessments. This means that FIAU’s investigation and administrative fee will most likely be followed by multiple follow-up directives, which can also have consequences for the establishment.
FIAU’s investigation also uncovered that in around 20% of the profiles reviewed, the players were assigned a low or medium risk rating. This was despite their exhibiting behavior that can be a flag for high risk of money laundering, such as the size of the transactions, for example. 10% of the reviewed profiles didn’t have a permanent address, and 6% had given incorrect foreign addresses.
Another serious deficiency was that the casino often relied on self-reported information about its customers’ occupation details, with around 12% of the profiles providing only basic information. The same approach was extended to establishing the source of funds checks, without which a casino’s risk assessment practices can’t be adequate.
Examples of the Casino’s Risk Assessment Deficiencies
Multiple examples of the casino’s breaches were made public. A Turkish company chief executive was allowed to gamble more than €1 million (more than $1.06 million) all in cash from eight different banks and was assigned a low-risk status. Another player gambled more than €2 million ($2.12 million) and lost almost half of that and his SOF check consisted of establishing that his funds were coming from a reputable bank.
FIAU said that this was not sufficient for establishing the source of funds and only served as information about the flow of funds. This is a drastically insufficient approach to the risk assessment process, and there were multiple other instances where the casino’s risk assessment and due diligence came up short of what is legally required.
A former politically exposed person (PEP) was allocated a low-risk rating, which is incorrect. The PEP registered in 2015 and after the casino identified that he was allegedly involved in tax evasion and bribery in 2019, he was still allowed to gamble with large amounts of cash. FIAU added that the casino also failed to submit a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) for the case.
Another STR-related failing was with a business owner who owed €500,000 in unpaid taxes – a fact the casino was aware of – and was still assigned the low-risk rating by the casino in 2019. Such a large sum owed in back taxes can be indicative of possible tax evasion – another well-known fact. However, because of the casino’s insufficient customer risk assessment (CRA), an STR was not submitted.
Kyamil is a big tech fan, who loves hummus on everything and has enjoyed writing from a young age. From essays, through personal art, to news pieces and more serious tech analysis. In recent years he’s found fintech and gambling collide with all his interests, so he truly shares our core passion for the entire gambling scene and furthering the education of the mass citizen on these topics.
Must Read
Casino
September 10, 2025
Macau Casinos Brace for Record Golden Week
Casino
September 11, 2025
Seminole Gaming Tells Florida Residents to Be Wary of Illegal Gambling
More Articles
Casino
September 16, 2025
Suspended Florida Sheriff Tied to $21M Gambling Network
Blockchain
September 16, 2025
DOJ Wants to Take $5M in Bitcoin Connected to SIM-Swap Attacks
Casino
September 16, 2025
Prison Time for Former Washington State Employee Who Embezzled $900K
Casino
September 16, 2025
Veikkaus Suspends Betting on Floorball as Probe Unfolds
Industry
September 15, 2025
GamCare Expands Its Role in Tackling Gambling Harm Across the UK
Casino
September 15, 2025
Mohegan Sun Announces Two Winners of $650K+ Prizes
Legal
September 15, 2025
FanDuel to Pay $5M to the Jacksonville Jaguars Following Recent Scandal
Casino
September 15, 2025
Maryland Man Arrested with Guns, Ammo Near Casino
Casino
September 15, 2025
Airbnb, GLVSTRA, and Short-Term Rental Operators Fight Clark County
Casino
September 15, 2025
No Changes to Norway’s Gambling in Wake of General Election Expected
Industry
September 15, 2025
Curaçao Regulator Takes BC.Game License Revocation Off Public List