The House of Representatives on Tuesday unanimously gave a second reading to the Lotteries and other Games (Amendment) Bill. During the debate, various opposition speakers criticised the government over the Bill.
Evarist Bartolo (PL) said that the Bill, which was an enabling law, gave wide powers to the minister and called on the government to consult the opposition to give its contribution on the drafted legal notice before its publication. He added that the opposition had proposed serious amendments to the Bill through the consultation process.
Interjecting, Parliamentary Secretary Jason Azzopardi said that the drafted legal notices had been given to the opposition a week ago.
Mr Bartolo said that a Sedqa survey had showed that gambling was a problem among the over 40s but not among young people. However, statistics did not necessarily solve problems as was the case with binge drinking among youth, where the government had failed to set up a national plan to address the problem.
He said that it was important that trained teachers for personal and social skills development make students aware of these problems. He called on the government to involve NGOs, including Caritas, when setting up a national plan to treat addicted gamblers and to provide preventive education because resources were scarce.
Mr Bartolo also referred to clandestine lotto which he said was rampant and some claimed that it was parallel to public lotto in financial terms. Clandestine lotto operators often lent money to their clients and in doing so applied usury practice.
Franco Debono (PN) said the gaming law should be treated with sensitivity because it dealt with an issue that related to addiction. He invited the House to follow the Bishops' advice on gaming and said MPs should proceed judiciously and follow established values.
He compared the gaming addiction to that of alcohol and drugs and noted that a gaming addict often fell into usury. Such circumstances lead to grave consequences on the family and brought about serious social problems.
Dr Debono noted that regulating gaming and addressing the social consequences it brought about required political courage and he commended Minister Fenech for the seriousness and judgment which he had shown in presenting the Bill.
Although there are divergent opinions in relation to particular issues in the Bill, the Nationalist parliamentary group had expressed agreement on the values that such law must follow.
The legislation cannot make the conditions so onerous as to incentivise illegal gaming. Conditions had to consider all relevant factors, leading to a balanced regulation that created a level playing field without pushing operators towards illegal gaming.
David Agius (PN) said that the debate had shown there was control. And its aim was to protect Maltese families and push forward what was beneficial to the Maltese society.
While there might be certain clubs that were concerned with regard to funding, Mr Agius said that such clubs would benefit from the Responsible Gaming Fund, which they could use to organise certain activities.
Mr Agius said the Bill led to controversy but what was good needed to be sustained.