House committee wants tough action on gambling outlets
Gaming shops being used for unlicensed gambling should be closed down until the situation is regularised, the House Social Affairs Committee has recommended.
The committee yesterday heard how gaming shops sprouting all over the island do not have a licence for gambling.
It recommended that such shops should be considered illegal and closed down at least until legislation and regulations are drawn up.
Michael Gonzi, the acting chief executive of the Lotteries and Gaming Authority, said that it was the Authority which had to issue the relevant licences, but it could not do so because no legal notice to regulate this area had been issued so far.
He said that the Authority’s board was addressing the problem and a presentation would be made to the government on Friday. He said the board’s intention was to regularise the situation as soon as possible. Not all the gaming shops that were currently open would necessarily remain so, he said.
Nick Xuereb, chairman of Lotteries and Gaming Authority, said that besides the short term plan being presented to the minister, the board was also discussing a long-term plan, to ban gaming in internet cafes, for example.
CONSEQUENCES OF GAMBLING
At the beginning of the sitting, Caritas representative Joe Chetcuti, who works with gamblers and their families, described compulsive gambling as a progressive disorder for which there was no cure. In Canada, he said, one of every four people who committed suicide had a gambling problem.
He pointed out that while one had to be over 25 to go to a casino, everyone could go to the small outlets opening all over Maltese towns and villages. Women with children, were regularly seen in these establishments.
A woman whose name cannot be published at the committee’s request, said that many housewives were gamblers, with husbands remaining in the dark about their wives’ problems. Many women visited gambling outlets after taking their children to school.
She recounted how a woman who depended on social welfare had to be literally pushed out of a gambling establishment by her 15-year-old daughter. In another case, when the husband died, the widow could not ‘find a cent’ to pay the funeral because her husband had gambled everything, including the family home.
There were young people in their third year at university who had to sell their car to pay off their debts.
Caritas representative John Zammit, who helps victims of usury, said that 70 percent of people with a usury problem found themselves in this situation because of gambling.
He said that many people who organised illegal gaming also loaned money illegally.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
At the end of the sitting, the committee made a number of recommendations to the Authority to consider in the drawing up of regulations.
It said the shops abusing of their licence by allowing gambling should be considered illegal and closed down, at least until the necessary legislation was drawn up.
Furthermore, entry to such establishments should not be allowed for those under 25 (as in the case of casinos).
The distinction between gaming and amusement machines should be removed.
The committee said that consideration should be given as to how many such gaming shops should be allowed in a community. These places should also be kept at a suitable distance from churches and schools.
The committee proposed an education campaign, as well as regular monitoring and audit of the activities in such outlets.
Opening times should also be limited, making the operations not so financially viable, but without pushing them underground.
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Joseph Schembri
Mar 11th 2009, 22:02
@L..Galea don't try and send me on a guilt trip please! The amusement machine I was referring to happens to be one were you sit in a little car and have gas and accelerator pedals and steering. It's great fun for boys (and even for some adults cos there are no speed cameras;-)
It has nothing to do with gambling.
Manuel Mangani
Mar 11th 2009, 16:38
The argument that legislation would drive gambling on machines underground does not hold water. Think about it: this reasoning could be applied to a whole range of behaviour; from possession of arms to pedophilia, yetnNone of us would dream of not attempting to control or curtail this behaviour through legislation for fear of driving it underground. The same should apply to gambling.
As one very wise man once said: Availability is the mother of abuse.
Of course this is not tob say we should prohibit gambling in all its forms; rather, that society should regulate it as thoroughly as practicable.
Charles Micallef
Mar 11th 2009, 15:51
Totally and wholeheartedly agree with the said committee, Gaming is become a scourge of our little nation, it will or has already ruined a lot of good people who fell in the trap.
The gaming laws have to looked into again, and adjusted accordingly......................to protect the public in general and safeguard the future of many families.
paul grech
Mar 11th 2009, 12:42
The same owners of these gaming outlets are the owners of kids amusement machines that give out tickets to exchange for some rubbish illegal toy. These too should be banned because they are influencing kids that something is given in return for playing!!!
John Falzon
Mar 11th 2009, 12:25
There is an amusement machine just opposite the Junior College in Msida, on the pavement. I saw it this morning while taking my daughter there. This is disgraceful and such machines should be outlawed or restricted to persons over 25. Gambling is a social disease and is probably worse then smoking in terms of its effect on the innocent, such as family members, children etc.
Chris Finch
Mar 11th 2009, 12:20
I wonder if any of the people who replied to my last post are connected to any of the gambling companies they are defending.
The government could make so much more money by increasing the tax ceiling for these companies, instead of holding off lowering the utility bill charges and lowering speed limits so the man on the street pays more tax instead of these offshore misery merchants.
L..Galea
Mar 11th 2009, 11:38
Joseph Schembri
You were getting your son hooked to pay to play what you call amusement machines. Home computer games have been around for years and you could have bought your son a game to play at home. Besides, amusement machines are sometimes also used for betting including by the shop or arcade owner e.g. that a person will play a number of times and will get certain numbers or a certain score etc. So there should be NO distinction.
As regards gaming shops, these should be prohibited altogether because whatever controls are made they will not be observed. Example, if a limit of €1 was made there would be an agreement with the gaming shop owner that €1 means €1000 or whatever. They are DESTROYING whole families and leading families to abject poverty.
Even official gaming and advertising such as quick keno should be prohibited. Have a look at a lotto office where it is played and see housewives and other players playing it for hours on end.
STOP ALL GAMING INCLUDING QUICK KENO ETC. IT IS DESTROYING MALTESE FAMILIES.
Ganni Borg
Mar 11th 2009, 11:36
If these gambling shops are closed, gamblers will simply go undergound once more.
These shops are not really competing with casinos since these shops and casinos appeal to different markets.
Mark Pace
Mar 11th 2009, 11:14
ABOUT TIME TOO!!!! Can somebody go and check the gambling outlet that has opened at Baystreet???
N.Grima
Mar 11th 2009, 11:07
@ Mr. Finch -- not true, the tax incentives are for offshore (internet) gaming companies.
I agree with the tough stand, except this: "Opening times should also be limited, making the operations not so financially viable, but without pushing them underground." Gambling can be an amusement as long as it's controlled... not everyone gambles his life's savings away. The current 25-year limit is also rather arbitrary and discriminatory, but I can live with it... limiting stakes for years 21 to 24 would make sense instead imho.
@ Mr. Moore -- I disagree with putting an absolute cap in this regard. For one person €1000 can be a month's salary while for another it could be an hour's wage...
T Mifsud
Mar 11th 2009, 11:02
@Chris Finch
The companies you mention are TCTs that is they are based here, pay licencies and dividents from here, but are not allowed to operate to Maltese clients in Malta. They are international and it's very good that Malta allowed legislation for them to base here so that they pay into our economy.
Casinos worldwide are entertainment just like the multitude of Lotto offices in every village are. People want to play and they will continue to play. What is important is that there is some kind of legislation so that Malta gets rid of all the unofficial money lenders (usury?) and the violence that goes with it.
Joe Cordina
Mar 11th 2009, 10:55
AT LAST SOMEONE HAS WOKEN UP FROM HIS DEEP SLEEP. It is amazing how this situation has been suffered for so long even when considering the various and frequent letters and articles on the news papers. I have always maintained that these gambling shops are not only illegal but dangerous. Moreover they could easily be a tool for money laundering. Stop them NOW and fine tune later.
Jeremy J Camilleri
Mar 11th 2009, 10:44
Its strange how the Church condemns the Nadur carnival, homosexuality, divorce etc etc, and yet, has not come out more strongly on a problem that really is tearing the fabrics of Maltese society apart.
Piero Timpano
Mar 11th 2009, 10:41
@ Chris Finch: Please get your facts straight! Incentives are given to REMOTE gaming companies ONLY. These are Internet gambling companies that are prohibited very strictly from advertising, and promoting gameplay on the Island. 100% of these companies will NOT accept Maltese play, and also not one of them owns the "shops" that are in question here. Far from adversely effecting the economy, these companies combined employ a HUGE number of Maltese!
Carmel Taliana
Mar 11th 2009, 10:22
How can you stop gambling from home on line?
Joseph Schembri
Mar 11th 2009, 10:18
"The distinction between gaming and amusement machines should be removed."
I don't understand this recommendation. To my mind an amusement machine is like the one I used to play space invaders on as a boy and the racing car simulators that many boys nowadays love (I must admit I like them too!). A gaming machine is completely different - it is one that makes you bet money ... lots of it, against the machine and the purpose is to win (or rather lose) money with these machines.
At a mall in Fgura for example there is a whole section devoted to amusement machines - I see nothing wrong with them. In fact I used to take my son there whenever we went to the cinema in the same mall. They are fun and I used to pay 25 to 50 cents for each game. It had nothing to do with gambling.
I C Moore
Mar 11th 2009, 09:32
Most often these outlets make thousands of Euro in profit per month from a small number of players who play their fortune on these machines. I suggest that a capping is introduced on the amount of money which can be played by a single player and if this capping is breached the shop owner should be fined with hefty fines. This would make shop owners responsible of the amount played by these players. If they cared for their customers they should inform them when to stop. After all this capping would also make their industry sustainable
Rache Attard
Mar 11th 2009, 09:01
Malta has been turned into a Casino island
Chris Finch
Mar 11th 2009, 08:52
And whilst the man on the street is paying more and more in tax and utility bills, these companies are given massive tax incentives to open here.