NEW MINIMUM-RTP FOR MALTA LICENCED ONLINE CASINOS
Malta Gaming Authority has decided to lower the minimum RTP allowed from online casino games. The change from the licensor was expected and now, after months of discussions, the change has happened.
In this article, we will walk you through the change, why they did it and what effect it will have on casino games available in India.
WHAT CHANGES WAS MADE
Up until today, players from all over the world, including India had a guaranteed minimum Return To Player of 92%, when they played with an online casino licenced by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA).
Now, MGA has decided to change this minimum-RTP to 85%. For those of you not familiar with RTP, this is the percentage of the total turnover wagered on a game over 1 billion spins/rounds, expected to be paid back to the players.
The news from MGA hits only weeks after Relax Gaming released the highest RTP slot machine ever, Book of 99, with an RTP of 99%.
According to quotes given by the MGA to iGamingBusiness.com, the changes in RTP was popular with most casino operators, with some voices in disagreement with the change.
— “All respondents welcomed the MGA’s proposal to lower the RTP [threshold],” the MGA said, although it added that some respondents said the ideal RTP threshold was still around 92%, while others set it as low as 75% and two argued there should not be a minimum.
WHY MGA CHANGED THE MINIMUM RTP
Running an online casino has become increasingly harder in the last couple of years. For a long time, countries tried to forbid online gambling without much success. Lately, more and more countries have gone the other way by allowing online gambling under their own licencing regulations.
These markets often have a higher tax level than what online casino operators were used to from before. Operators have put a lot of effort into getting these markets to lower their tax without much success, making them turn to MGA, a licencing regulator motivated to keep online gambling alive, for a solution.
By lowering the minimum RTP, MGA has made it possible for small and medium-sized gambling operators to survive, a struggle that was getting increasingly harder.
HOW THE CHANGES WILL AFFECT INDIAN PLAYERS
— Removing the RTP requirement does not mean that operators will no longer strive to maintain adequate RTP levels to avoid risks relating to the well-being of customers, as the market conditions will force the industry to maintain an appropriate RTP standard.
Although the minimum RTP has been lowered, the competition in the market makes it unlikely that all your favourite games will get a lower payout percentage any time soon. However, the importance of pages such as AllGambling.com just got bigger.
It is likely that some online casinos will take advantage of this lower RTP, making research a whole lot more important. You don’t want to play a game with 85% RTP when you could play it somewhere else with 96% RTP.
— Respondents noted that only a few specific games were likely to see an RTP as low as 85%, but by applying different rates to different games and regions, operators could offer an “optimal playing experience”, while others should continue to see levels as high as 96%. However, all operators said they would lower the return for at least some games, iGamingBusiness.com.