A collective sigh of relief must have been heaved when police swooped down on the illegal gambling arcades that have proliferated in several localities, infiltrating the cultural fabric of village life.

For more than a year residents have watched helplessly as these arcades multiplied next to parish churches and youth centres offering a flashy get-rich-quick promise and an alternative form of "amusement".

Housewives especially, perhaps bored of mundane chores, were perfect prey. Youngsters too were at risk because while casinos bar those under 25, no such rules regulate the arcades. More than anything, these arcades make gambling more accessible to a society bent on instant gratification.

As complaints poured in, the government said it was powerless to act because gaming arcades were exploiting legal loopholes, opening shop under the guise of being amusement machine outlets - slot machines are prohibited, except within the confines of a casino.

The lack of legal clarity made it hard for the police to act, because while some of the arcades had a permit from the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, others had a trading licence of sorts, even as others operated without a licence. When the police did try to enforce, the charges failed to hold ground in court.

However, Parliament's Social Affairs Committee believed urgent action should be taken after it heard heart-rending stories of people who fell for these addictive outlets. So in March, the committee recommended that arcades violating the conditions of their licence should be considered illegal and closed down until the government finalised the legislation regulating them.

Throughout, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech recognised the social repercussions and the pressing need to regulate the industry - both to stop the country becoming a nation of gamblers and to minimise the impact arcades were having on Malta's four casinos. (Earlier this year, the casinos filed a judicial protest saying the illegal gaming arcades were leading to losses due to unfair competition.)

Mr Fenech had even warned operators their future was not guaranteed and arcades would be closed down if they fell foul of the regulations. Legislation has been long in coming but the government has just approved draft rules to address abuse and protect persons at risk.

The fact remains, however, that until the regulations are given the stamp of approval by Parliament after summer recess, the loopholes are still gaping.

Everyone was demanding action but many were resigned that nothing could be done for now. So when the government this week announced that immediate action would be taken against the illegal arcades, people held their breath... and were pleasantly surprised when raids took place the very next day.

While the raids and the government's decision to act are commendable, it is hard to understand what changed. Why now? Why was action not taken earlier to nip the mushrooming problem in the bud? Have the legal loopholes hampering enforcement suddenly vanished? And more importantly, when, and if, the police take the next step, will the charges stand up in court?

If charges are eventually brought, society cannot afford to see them thrown out of court, as had happened when the police raided gentlemen's clubs some years back. Let us hope the legal reasons for the crackdown are sound or the gaming arcades may again go on a winning streak.