Leeds-based online gambling operator Sky Betting & Gaming (SBG) has applied for a Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) license ahead of the UK operator’s planned launch into Germany’s online sports betting market.

On Wednesday, the MGA announced that it had received SBG’s formal application for a local sports betting license. SBG, which already holds licenses issued by regulatory agencies in the UK, Alderney and Italy, plans to begin accepting German sports bettors via SkyBet.de later this year.

MGA exec chairman Joseph Cuschieri said SBG’s interest in a Malta license reflected the high value that “world leading brands” like SBG place on Malta’s “reputation as a gaming jurisdiction.”

The MGA also announced regulatory data covering the first four months of 2017, during which the MGA received 59 applications, representing a 79% increase over the same period last year. The MGA issued 36 licenses over this span, one-third more than last year.