An Austrian man who lost €500,000 on a Maltese gaming site has lost his bid for a refund. The Maltese Civil Court ruled that enforcing Austrian judgments awarding refunds to players who gambled on Malta-licensed websites would be contrary to Maltese public policy. The court supported Malta-licensed operators, stating that Austria’s restrictive gambling policies violate EU law, specifically Article 56 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
The case involved a player who lost €38,325 in 2020 on Lottoland, a Malta-licensed operator. An Austrian court initially ruled in favor of the player, but the Maltese court overturned the decision. Malta’s stance reinforces the autonomy of its regulatory authorities and jurisdiction over gambling-related matters.
