Malta refuses to publish casino data
Casino operators and the National Finance Ministry are not divulging information about the industry.
Malta.- Financial Services Authority from Malta admitted that they are not able to issue casinos’ status in the country, nor their monthly incomes and transactions. Finance Minister Edward Scicluna’s spokesman announced to the media that the Ministry will not publish casino information.
Public organisations, headed by local newspaper The Times of Malta, are demanding the information about the casino transactions, incomes and commercial activities, as well as their concessions and licenses approved by the government. Authorities are not publishing neither the number of casino concessions granted so far, nor the amount of taxes the government is receiving for their operations.
The Times of Malta responded by demanding the State a Freedom of Information to provide the required data, a right that Maltese people have thanks to the federal law in public interests. The newspaper is also calling for the names of the companies that obtained the government’s licenses to operate gambling services.
However, the Malta Gaming Authority heard the public demand and published the information about casino licenses in the country. So far, the Maltese government has granted several licenses. Tumas Gaming Limited –operated by Hilton Hotel’s owners– obtained two licenses to operate the Oracle casino in Buġibba and another in Portomaso. Dragonara Gaming received a permit to operate its casino until 2020. Casino Malta was granted the license to operate the casino at the Intercontinental Hotel in St Julian’s.
