In a letter to the company, the cooperative suggested that since the lotto receivers’ network was already in place, they could be used to collect VAT on behalf of the company. Obviously, they would have to be paid to do this.

Speaking to The Malta Independent, a spokesman close to the cooperative explained that Maltco Lotteries was planning to employ a number of people to collect the VAT receipts for the VAT lottery.

The spokesman said it would be far easier for Maltco to utilise the already existent network of lotto receivers to collect the receipts. He said this would obviously be done at a cost because it involves an amount of work.

“It is just an added service to the company. We are already in contact with Maltco Lotteries and have already held talks with the company on this issue and others. One must not forget that we are talking of between three and four million VAT receipts every month. Discussions on the matter are under way,” he said.

In an interview with The Malta Independent last week, Maltco Lotteries chief executive officer John Katakis said all 182 lotto receivers have switched their operations to a new and more technologically-advanced network and are now able to sell tickets up to one hour from the time of the draw.

The Saturday lotto and Wednesday’s Super Five lotto are on-line and will be updated automatically. He said the

new network is a multimedia-based

technology operated through touch-screen

functions.