Gaming companies' lawyers not notified about court hearing

An application by the Attorney General to revoke an injunction issued against police action to confiscate gaming machines could not be considered yesterday because lawyers representing gaming companies were not notified of the urgent hearing. The...

An application by the Attorney General to revoke an injunction issued against police action to confiscate gaming machines could not be considered yesterday because lawyers representing gaming companies were not notified of the urgent hearing.

The injunction was granted after police last Thursday embarked upon a nationwide crackdown on some 80 unlicensed arcades and confiscated 23 machines.

Eight gaming companies - Allied Games Ltd, Best Play Ltd, Gaming Operations Ltd, Media Gaming Malta EU Ltd, Laak Ltd, Vanguard Gaming Ltd, Zammit Videomatic Ltd and Silver Play Ltd - had requested the injunction.

However, last Friday, the Attorney General filed an application to revoke the injunction, contending that the owners admitted they were running gambling outlets without a licence.

Mr Justice Alberto Magri called for an urgent hearing on the case yesterday and heard the arguments of Attorney General Silvio Camilleri who said the police were carrying out their duty by confiscating the evidence.

However, when summoned, seven out of the eight lawyers representing the gaming companies failed to turn up because they had not been notified. The case was deferred to August 24.

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