Court Rules for Investigative Researcher Against Malta Gaming Authority

• The Berlin Regional Court ruled against the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) in several key areas of a lawsuit brought against IT security researcher Lilith Wittmann.
• Wittmann is permitted to continue publishing her findings on illegal gambling networks and sharing related documents with the media and law enforcement.
• The court classified Wittmann's public criticism of the MGA as protected freedom of expression rather than false statements.

Legal Conflict Overview

• The MGA sought an injunction to block Wittmann from accessing its web portal and to prevent her from sharing internal documents with journalists.
• The authority also attempted to prohibit Wittmann from publicly stating that it enables organized crime, a claim she made on LinkedIn.
• Wittmann gained access to the documents by exploiting vulnerabilities in the MGA's portal, revealing evidence that the Lottoland group may have cost Germany approximately 400 million euros in tax revenue.

Press Freedom and Hacking Concerns

• The court acknowledged that Wittmann's method of obtaining data may violate Germany's "hacker paragraph" (§ 202a StGB) regarding illegal access to IT systems.
• However, the ruling prioritized freedom of the press and the public interest in uncovering wrongdoing, citing the "Lex Wallraff" precedent.
• The MGA had hired a private investigation agency to track Wittmann and contact her former employers, which she and her legal team categorize as a SLAPP (strategic lawsuit against public participation).

Financial Implications

• Despite the ruling, Wittmann is left to cover significant legal costs, estimated between 15,000 and 20,000 euros.
• The MGA has since closed the security vulnerability in its portal but continues to deny that the legal action was intended to intimidate the researcher.