Government gets €41.9 million in gaming tax

During 2009, gaming tax and licence fees collected and paid to the government by the Lotteries and Gaming Authority amounted to €41.9 million, an increase of 10 per cent over the previous year, according to the LGA’s 2009 annual report which has just been published.

“In a year that has been described as the worst world recession since the 1930s a 10 per cent growth was a major achievement for our organisation,” LGA chairman Nick Xuereb said in the report.

In 2009 a total of 121 applications to operate under the Malta Remote Gaming Regulations were filed bringing the total of active licences at the end of 2009 to 330, an increase of eight per cent over the previous year.

During 2009 the lotteries and gaming sector, both land based and remote, generated the direct employment of 5,053 employees who worked directly with licensed operators. Of these 1,040 worked with the National Lottery Games, which generated €11.96 million in gaming duty.

At the end of 2009 four land based casinos held a licence by the LGA, one in Bugibba, one in Vittoriosa and two in St Julians. During 2009, the casino sector was responsible for the direct employment of 835 licensed gaming employees and generated €9,595,440 in gaming duty.

The five licensed commercial bingo halls in 2009 provided the government with €642,220 in gaming duty.

The gaming duty collected in 2009 from the remote gaming sector increased by 22 per cent over the previous year. Furthermore, 3,178 employees worked directly in this industry, either as directors, executives or gaming employees.

There were more than 600 remote gaming applications processed by the LGA from 2004 until 2009.