Malta’s Parliamentary Secretary for the Digital Economy Silvio Schembri and Malta Gaming Authority Chairman Joseph Cuschieri recently released a study indicating Maltese citizens spent .2 million on gambling between 2015 and 2016. The national lottery was the most popular type of gambling, followed by gaming parlors.
The survey of 1,000 people showed 46 percent participate in free gambling, including internet games and free-to-play digital games. Only 1-2 percent of gamblers said their behavior negatively impacted their lives, and a comparable amount of respondents said they spend up to 60 per cent of their income on gambling.
Cuschieri said, “This survey should help all stakeholders to shape policies based on scientific data rather than impressions or myths, creating a more informed debate about the economic and social effects of gambling in Malta. The survey also gives size and scale to the potential gambling addiction problems in Malta.”
Schembri said the report supports gambling has become an established facet of Maltese culture, but not in a negative way. However, he said regulation is necessary to protect vulnerable players.
