The roles of the unit will include gathering intelligence and information related to suspicious betting and will work in liaison with local and foreign regulatory authorities, law enforcement agencies, betting monitoring systems, sporting bodies and gaming operators in order to investigate irregular and suspicious betting activity. 

MGA Senior Executive Antonio Zerafa as Sports Integrity Officer will represent the head of the unit. Mr Zerafa has been at the MGA for four years and has held various positions within the Criminal Probity Screening Department, as well as the Enforcement Directorate as Secretary to the MGA’s Fit and Proper Committee. 

“Having a dedicated Sports Integrity Unit is vital for the MGA’s statutory objective to ensure that gambling is free from crime, specifically the manipulation of sports competitions,” said Heathcliff Farrugia, MGA’s Chief Executive Officer.  

“The MGA is committing to cooperation with stakeholders to the extent permitted by law to act against a pervasive phenomenon that threatens the integrity of both the sports and the betting industries,” Mr Farrugia added. 

In addition, Mr Zerafa has a Degree in Criminology from the University of Malta where he is also a visiting lecturer, a Master’s Degree in Counter Fraud and Counter Corruption Studies from the University of Portsmouth, and is currently reading for a PhD in Law and Criminology with a focus on gaming-related crime at the Sheffield Hallam University.

The post MGA launches new sports integrity unit first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Chief Business Development Officer Kenneth Farrugia and Chief Officer Investment Services Romeo Cutajar attended the official event at the Malta Stock Exchange to formally commemorate the first day of trading in the presence of the MSE Chairman Joseph Portelli and CEO Simon Zammit.

“Here at the Malta Stock Exchange, we consider Bank of Valletta as an esteemed major issuer. The ringing of the MSE bell has become a rite of passage on the first day of trading and we are glad to add BOV’s latest Bond Issue on the Main Market,” said Mr Portelli.

“We are very pleased to have yet another financial instrument listed on the Malta Stock Exchange. We are very proud to be able to say that Bank of Valletta has consolidated itself as a solid and rewarding investment over the years, and the prompt take up of the offer confirms that the investing public firmly believes in the strength and success of the BOV Group,” Mr Farrugia added.

The post BOV lists €50m 3.75% bond on stock exchange first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

“Innovation is now firmly established as a central pillar of our strategic vision and in whatever we do, as success can never be taken for granted in the ongoing attainment of our resilient results,” added Mr Aquilina.

Simonds Farsons Cisk directors announced earlier this year that the group registered a 5% increase over the previous year reaching €99.8m on the value of the products, while profit attributable to shareholders reached €15m, with an increase of 10% from 2018.

“In spite of ongoing market changes and growing competitive pressures, our ability to consistently register year on year improvements in our results is motivating us to further pursue our strategic vision,” said group CEO Norman Aquilina.

“Over the last year, Farsons continued to implement wide-ranging initiatives to embrace our social and environmental responsibilities. We are also actively engaged in the preparation for the introduction of the Beverage Container Refund Scheme which will see the introduction of a compulsory deposit on beverage containers, bringing along additional challenges, particularly in its enforcement,” added Mr Aquilina. “The Group is supporting this measure even if the Authorities still have a lot to do to bring into action a more equitable and broadly represented circular economy in the interest of the environment as a whole.”

The post Farsons looks to innovate to maintain growth in fierce competition first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.