Malta’s online gambling regulator has parted company with several of its Italy-based licensees following a probe into their activities.

In February, the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) announced it was conducting a probe of seven Italian licensees, asking each of them to provide answers to 20 specific questions regarding their operations, including their anti-money laundering (AML) protocols.

The probe came shortly after Italian authorities busted an illegal online gambling ring linked to MGA licensee Phoenix International Ltd, which operated the Bsport24.com and B28sport.com domains. It was the latest in a series of Mafia-connected busts linked to MGA-licensed gambling sites.

While the MGA has so far been silent on the results of its probe, Italian media outlets recently reported that several of these Italian MGA licensees had been found wanting and had severed their ties with the MGA.