Malta increases VAT lottery prize fund to €120,000 monthly

Malta is implementing new regulations for its Fiscal Receipts Lottery, more than doubling the monthly prize allocation to €120,000. Under the revised rules, the lottery will transition from one draw per month to two draws, held on the 15th and 23rd of each month. Each draw will feature a total prize fund of €60,000.

The changes follow previous scrutiny regarding the lottery’s administration after reports emerged of numerous repeat winners, including one individual who won at least 13 times in approximately one year. While Finance Minister Clyde Caruana previously informed Parliament that investigations found no irregularities, the lottery had faced criticism from the National Audit Office regarding equipment and audit procedures.

The new framework establishes a supervisory board comprising a Finance Ministry representative, a government notary, and a VAT legislation expert. To ensure transparency, receipt bags must be placed in the drawing urn in the presence of two Ministry public officers before being sealed. Winners can receive up to 100 times the value of an eligible receipt, with prizes ranging from a minimum of €233 to a maximum of €11,647.