German and Austrian lawyers have for months accused Malta of offering a “protective shield” for gambling firms facing lawsuits in the two European countries. Now, the German gambling regulator, Gemeinsamen Glücksspielbeh?rde der L?nder (GGL), is the latest to publicly question the compatibility of Malta’s Bill 55 with European law.

no longer enforce foreign court judgments.”

In June, Malta President George Vella signed Bill 55 into law. According to that legislation, a German firm relocated to Malta and compliant with local gaming rules will now be left alone by Malta’s courts. It orders that Malta will “no longer enforce foreign court judgments.”

GGL views the Maltese legislation as potentially conflicting with the Recast Brussels Regulation, a European law governing legal judgments among EU member states. The GGL’s weight joins that of the German Ministry of Justice, which has already made its case against the bill to the European Commission.

The German regulator said it would not take any further action against the bill, but warned it assumes “proceedings will be initiated accordingly.” The European Commission has agreed to probe the bill.