Gaming authority gives landlord Tumas ‘special’ poker permit
Matthew Vella While a shutdown on gaming halls persists to this day, the Lotteries and Gaming Authority has started to issue one-off licences for poker tournaments held outside casinos and their licensed gaming areas.
The law prohibits casinos from holding card games outside their declared gaming area, but a tournament held inside the Portomaso tower – just across from the Portomaso casino – was given special dispensation by the LGA.
The tournament was organised by Betpro.it during the 3 - 7 February, with a permit issued by the LGA under the licence for the Portomaso casino: the casino that is also governed by another special dispensation – a ‘two-for-one’ licence awarded to Tomino Ltd, for its other casino the Oracle.
The ad hoc permit marks a change in attitude by the new LGA board, now headquartered at the TG Complex in Mriehel, which is owned by none other than the Tomino’s parent company: Tumas Group.
While the LGA previously turned down similar requests to hold poker tournaments outside casino areas, chief executive Reuben Portanier said the event was held under the Portomaso casino’s licence “subject to strict conditions stipulated by the Authority for the specific event. The LGA approved a proposal by the licensee to extend the gaming area of the Casino, specifically for the event and event dates.”
Gaming inspectors were also present throughout the event as is the normal procedure for casino tournaments.
Casinos are still riding high on the revenues diverted from the gaming halls, whose shutdown remains in force after the LGA stopped the roll-out of licences with the conditions for their operation back in March 2008. That same year, Malta’s four casinos saw revenues drop by 6.8% for the first time in a decade.
Tomino Ltd, the company that owns both the Portomaso and Oracle casinos, presently commands 50% of the casino industry.
It was in the running for the licence of the Dragonara casino, which accounts for 41% of market share. Austrian gaming giant Novomatic, which joined up with the operators of the Fairplay gaming halls, were awarded the casino this week for a €13 million bid.
Tomino was granted a special concession in 2006 by the Finance Ministry when its 10-year licence for the Oracle casino was renewed two years ahead of its expiry, instead of being subjected to a public tender.
Additionally, it was granted a split-licence to operate both the Oracle and Portomaso casinos under the same licence, against payment of €1.4 million.
The government says this arrangement was originally contemplated in a letter of intent from former finance minster John Dalli in 2003, and later awarded by Lawrence Gonzi in 2006.
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