Quote:
Originally Posted by HomeyG30
1) Opening a bank account and moving money from poker accounts is easy?
I haven't moved there yet obv, but so happens I just spent the last hour or so researching this then saw your post, so I'll chime in with what I've been able to figure out - but people who've actually done it might want to correct me.
Apparently to open a bank account in Malta you need a letter of reference from your bank in your home country, and it has to be sent bank to bank, ie you can't request it before you go and carry it with you. If your home bank is in the EU this is apparently a standard sort of thing they'll have an existing procedure for within the EU banking system, but if you're not from the EU it may be a pain in the ass getting it organized with your bank - I can't imagine any bank refusing to give you a reference, just that some people have a very frustrating experience getting through bank phone trees to explain what they want and organize it.
I've been reading various forums and it seems like the only people who have a really smooth experience are those who happen to bank with HSBC in their home country then open an HSBC account in Malta, because they have some sort of internal procedure for it. Other EU people seem to take around a month to get a reference sent to the branch in Malta, and non-EU people report wildly variable wait times -days to many months. IIRC correctly the only two major banks in Malta are HSBC and Bank of Valletta - and also Banif just opened shop but I don't know anything about them, even if they are a good deal they prob don't have many ATMs yet.
As far as poker goes no first hand experience, but I can't imagine there'd be any difficulties, online gaming is legal and Moneybookers/Neteller etc all fine in Malta. I also noticed when I was there last week that there are a ton of Moneygram offices around.