The Malta Gaming Authority raised its income by almost €6 million last year and is expected to repeat its performance this year, the parliamentary secretariat for economic growth said this afternoon.
It was reacting after a reply to a parliamentary question showed that the authority's wage bill rose by almost €1 million in two years as 60 people were engaged.
The secretariat said the number of gaming licences increased by 19% last year to reach 519, and this too is expected to continue this year.
It said this growth was due to a restructuring it carried out last year. It had strengthened its various directorates including finance, compliance, legal, research and enforcement.
The secretariat said that information given in parliament also showed that €53 million in taxes on gaming were collected last year, from €47 million in 2012.