The purge of gaming arcades in Malta by the authorities took a new twist this week when six operating companies were in court filing a judicial protest against the Police Commissioner.
They claimed that machines seized by the police in the crackdown were within the guidelines laid down by the Lotteries and Gaming Authority.
Along with the Police Commissioner, the protest cited the Authority itself and the Attorney General. The protest was filed by lawyers acting for Gaming Operations Ltd, Media Games Malta (EU) Ltd, Zammit Videomatic Co Ltd, Laak Ltd, Vanguard Gaming Ltd and Best Play Gaming Ltd. They said that they had been among companies holding talks with the Authority for the past three years on game design.
The companies complained that all of the machines seized were fitted with sophisticated reporting systems enabling the Authority to check them online for tax purposes. The companies had invested large sums in the type of machines they had imported and had acted within the spirit of the ongoing talks with the Authority and on the suggestions of the Authority itself. Temporary permits had then been issued by the Authority but without any warning, police had seized the machines.
Malta has around 4,000 video-based gaming machines and about 80-90 operators.
