The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has conducted a review of the island nation’s VAT or Fiscal Receipts Lottery.
This involves the draw of fiscal receipts, sent by members of the public to Malta’s Ministry for Finance and Employment.
Under Maltese law, this lottery is not traditionally subject to MGA oversight, but in this case, the regulator has lent its expertise to help maintain “fair and transparent proceedings.”
Inspections were carried out, and the MGA noted that safeguards are already in place as part of the lottery’s current standard operating procedures.
To this end, the MGA provided a comprehensive breakdown of the lottery’s entire process from collection to selection.
Receipts, when received, are first placed in containers, which are then poured into an ‘urn’ that is turned once “a fixed number of containers is reached, and the urn is filled.”
At this point, the power switch used to rotate the urn is locked with a numbered seal, disabling any movement and preventing any external interference.
This process is photographed, and the photo subsequently sent to Malta’s Commissioner for Revenue (CFR) department.
The numbered seal is only cut in the presence of the board members responsible for the draw. These include representatives from the CFR department, the Ministry for Finance and Employment and the National Audit Office, as well as a member of the public.
The individual then responsible for drawing receipts is chosen by the Ministry for Finance and Employment, and changes with every draw. Once the draw is over, all remaining receipts are disposed of.
The MGA said it has conducted an “in-depth assessment” to identify any “gaps” or “potential issues.” While the regulator did not outline any specific recommendations, it said they have been “submitted and discussed together with the Ministry for Finance and Employment.”
