This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
Focus REPORT: MALTA


which can only be granted by the government. The casino sector saw a total of €9.5m in revenue in 2009, a five per cent drop on the previous year attributed to the financial crisis.


The main points of the Gaming Act 1998 include:


• Operating companies must have a company registered in Malta


• Casino licenses are issued for 10 years and subject to an annual license fee


• Citizens of Malta must be over the age of 25 years to enter a casino. Any other foreign citizens must by over the age of 18 years.


• Any offence against the act is subject to fines of between €6,000 and €232,000 or up to two years imprisonment.


• Taxation on table games is 36 per cent of the gross takings


• Taxation on gross takings generated by junkets on table games is 7.5 per cent.


• Taxation on slots is 40 per cent of the gross takings.


• Taxation on gross takings generated by junkets on slots is 12.5 per cent.


In 2008 there was a drop of 9.2 per cent in revenue for the government from slot machines in casinos compared to the previous year. The loss was attributed to the influx of ‘illegal’ gaming halls which began to spring up around the island.


The Tumas Group which operates the Oracle and Portomaso casinos reported a “gradual but persistent decline in turnover” of its casino business activity during this period and say their losses were around 9.2 per cent in 2008.


August 2001. In June 2006 the Portomaso Casino opened its doors.


The Orcale and Portomaso are owned by The Tumas Group’s casino company Tomino which currently has around 52 per cent of the casino business via the two casinos (governed by a single license); The Dragonara which has 42 per cent of the market share whilst the Venice municipality Casino di Venezia in Vittoriosa has just a six per cent market share in terms of slots and tables.


In 2006 Tomino increased its dominance of the market with the Portomoso casino for which it was granted a special concession in the form of a split license (ie: two for one). Meanwhile an additional change in policy enabled the casinos to increase their ratio of 10 gaming machines for each gaming table to 15. This enabled Tomino to spread out its gaming assets across both casinos.


Although the casinos are licensed by the LGA, under the Gaming Act 1998, the license is conditional to a concession


Your The new gaming


law is expected to have an affect on


the casino market. One of the main issues is the 25


year old age limit for players in


casinos compared to the 18 year age limit for the new gaming halls.


A spokesman said: “The gaming industry continued to suffer from the unregulated VLT operations until the latter part of 2009 when concrete action by the authorities forced these outlets to close down. Overall there was an improvement in business over last year, mainly coming from returned slots business and through cost cutting.”


The new gaming law is expected to have an affect on the casino market. One of the main issues is the 25 year old age limit for players in casinos compared to the 18 year age limit for the new gaming halls.


Yorgen Fenech, CEO of Tumas Gaming Ltd said: “The new street gaming market has a very particular legislation. We


new compelling content for pro series cabinets


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92