Gaming Innovation Group (GiG) has taken a decisive step to distance itself from Austrian player reimbursement claims that could have had wide-ranging implications. According to a recent Next.io report, the operator secured a favorable ruling from a Maltese court, allowing it to dissolve its dormant white-label subsidiary MT SecureTrade Limited, protecting the parent company from potential litigation in the EU.
GiG Seeks to Avoid Potential Litigation
The 17 November court ruling permits MT SecureTrade to proceed with its winding-up process, formally shuttering the corporate entity that historically managed a broad range of white-label casinos. The company once powered brands such as Metal Casino, Dunder, and ShadowBet under GiG’s Maltese licence. However, the group halted white-label operations in 2020 and surrendered the MGA license of MT SecureTrade in 2022.
Although the business has been inactive for some time, it has been entangled in player lawsuits in Austria, where former users seek to reclaim losses incurred with operators once active in what was then an unregulated grey market. Lawyers in Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands have increasingly argued that such operators offered services illegally and should fully reimburse customers.
With several high-profile courtroom victories for player claims, this newest legal maneuver helps the broader group avoid lengthy litigation. While MT SecureTrade acknowledged the ongoing claims by Austrian players, the company argued that keeping the entity alive served no commercial purpose and risked further exposure to litigation connected to long-closed brands.
Player Claim Lawsuits Have Reached the ECJ
The timing of this move comes at a pivotal time for Malta’s controversial Bill 55, which aims to shield MGA-licensed operators from liability when operating in foreign jurisdictions, provided their activities were legal under Maltese law. This legislation has received significant pushback from countries like Germany, where regulators and courts argue that domestic prohibitions on unlicensed gambling take precedence.
This ongoing dispute has reached the European Court of Justice. In September, Advocate General Nicholas Emiliou issued his non-binding opinion stating that the players’ attempts to recover their losses from the illegal gambling should not be dismissed as an abuse of EU law. His view aligns with the German position and could influence the court’s final ruling.
While the dissolution of MT SecureTrade by GiG removes much of its risk exposure, the broader legal battle is far from over. With an ECJ judgment expected no earlier than 2026, the future of Bill 55 and MGA-licensed operators remains uncertain. A player-friendly ruling could result in claims reaching into the billions of Euros. And the industry is bracing for impact.