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Most serious approach expected in Rfp process for the National Lottery
30 September 2021
Many livelihoods depend on the well-functioning of the concession agreement
The Lotto Receivers Union (LRU) and the Gaming and Lotteries Agents Association (GLAA), both part of the Malta Chamber of SMEs, emphasise, as direct stakeholders in the National Lottery system, how important it is to ensure the highest standards in governance and diligence in the evaluation process that will choose the next concessionaire.
The last concession lasted 10 years and therefore once the bidder is confirmed a long-term track record is expected. The concession is a contract of significant importance, with tens of millions in commitment, and therefore there is no room for error.
Lotto Agents have been present since the very beginning of the process, when the National Lottery was still directly run by the then Public Lotto, well before it was issued in the form of a concession, some ten years ago. Till today over 210 Lotto Receivers and Sellers, 465 seller assistants and their families depend on this concession for their livelihoods.
In the run up to the concession the LRU, the GLAA and the SME Chamber have presented proposals to the government with the aim of learning and improving on the past experience and we are pleased to note that the Rfp reflects a number of important improvements. An important point highlighted in the proposals is to give significant weight to the seriousness and repute of the bidders and for these to have an already proven track record.
In Malta’s situation, the country does not afford mistakes and the life of businesses has already become overly difficult due to the impact of the FATF Greylisting and the AML requirements. The government must do everything in its power to ensure that the sector is not overshadowed by additional bad light and that choices are based on a healthy functioning sector.
