A survey commissioned by the Malta Gaming Authority to understand the social and economic realities of gambling among Maltese residents did not factor in the illegal gambling activity that takes place on the islands.

Asked by the Times of Malta about this gross omission, economist Gordon Cordina, who presented the survey’s results, accepted that this was also a reality in Malta but said that the MGA considers this phenomenon to be “a law enforcement issue”.

It is commonly known that a parallel underground gambling has been taking place on the island for many years and estimated to have a significant turnover worth millions.

Based on the official population statistics and interviews among 1,000 respondents, the MGA’s survey shows that in 2017, Maltese residents spent a total of €128 million on gambling activities, mostly directed towards games administered by the national lotteries.

This amounts to almost 200,000 individuals over 18 years who declared spending about €11.30 each per week on gaming activities.

Remote gaming among Maltese residents is also on the increase, especially among the younger generations, but it is still considered a fraction of what is spent on local lotteries and games.

The survey also highlights the increasing popularity among the young generations of gambling money through the many gaming parlours which flourished in many towns and villages across the island.

According to the Responsible Gaming Foundation, which deals with the social problems relating to gaming, particularly through educational campaigns, the survey shows that there are fewer than 4,000 pundits at risk of having severe gambling problems.

The survey was conducted by a company owned by statistician Vincent Marmara for the MGA.