Lotto receivers are resisting the imposition of higher personal guarantees by lotteries provider Maltco, saying they were prepared to negotiate a higher collective assurance instead.

The Lotto Receivers’ Union said it had directed its members not to pay the personal guarantee that Maltco wanted to impose.

During an extraordinary meeting on Thursday, the lotto receivers approved a motion authorising the union to have talks with Maltco and negotiate a collective guarantee on their behalf.

It said Maltco had set January 4 as the deadline by when the receivers had to submit a personal guarantee, threatening not to provide them with a new service unless the assurance was made.

The receivers agreed to meet on January 3 to be updated on the matter fol-lowing a meeting between the union, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Finance Minister Tonio Fenech in a bid to resolve the issue.

The union said it was open to serious negotiations on a collective guarantee and was willing to increase the existing one to a reasonable amount that did not burden members unnecessarily.

Just last week, a court rejected an application by lotto receivers to stop Maltco from imposing a higher bank guarantee on them.

Mr Justice Silvio Meli ruled that Maltco was acting within its rights.