The voice of Malta's lotto receivers since 1947.
Our mission is to protect, represent and advance the interests of Malta's lotto receivers, sellers and their assistants, ensuring their voice is heard and their livelihoods are secured for generations to come.
The Lotto Receivers' Union (L.R.U.) is the long-standing association representing Malta's licensed lotto receivers - the agents who run the island's lotto booths and offices - together with the sellers who serve players the length and breadth of the country. Established in 1947 by Joseph Rossi at a time when no laws or regulations existed to safeguard the trade, the Union was created for a single, enduring purpose: to give receivers a unified, credible voice and to protect their interests. More than seven decades on, that purpose remains unchanged. From our office at 7 St. Andrew Street in Valletta, the L.R.U. today represents some 210 lotto receivers and sellers and around 465 seller assistants, along with the families who depend on this trade for their livelihood.
Our values
Heritage
We are custodians of a tradition that reaches back to the earliest days of Malta's public lottery. We honour the work of those who came before us and carry their legacy forward with pride.
Representation
We speak with one voice on behalf of our members, ensuring that the concerns of receivers, sellers and their assistants are heard wherever decisions about the trade are made.
Integrity
Trust has underpinned this trade since its beginnings. We hold ourselves to the same standard, acting with honesty, transparency and fairness in everything we undertake on behalf of our members.
Solidarity
Our strength lies in unity. By standing together, our members and their families enjoy protections and security that no individual could achieve alone.
Representing the trade in a new era.
Today the L.R.U. continues to serve as the recognised representative of Malta's lotto receivers and sellers, working alongside the Gaming & Lotteries Agents Association (GLAA) to represent the country's national lottery agents. As an affiliate of the Malta Chamber of SMEs, the Union ensures that the interests of its members are reflected within the wider community of Maltese small and medium-sized enterprises.
Since 5 July 2022, the National Lottery of Malta has been operated by National Lottery plc, a subsidiary of the IZI Group, under a ten-year concession. Alongside this, a ten-year agency agreement was concluded to regulate the business relationship between the operator and the agents' representatives, the L.R.U. and the GLAA. This agreement provides our members with a clear and stable framework within which to conduct their business with confidence.
Looking ahead, the L.R.U. is working closely with National Lottery plc with a view to making the coming ten years a success story for everyone involved - the operator, the agents, and above all the receivers, sellers and assistants who form the backbone of the trade. We remain firmly focused on safeguarding our members' livelihoods while embracing the opportunities of a new era for Malta's national lottery.
From 1922 to today
Malta's public lottery traces its origins to 1922, with the very first draw taking place at Floriana in February 1923. For much of the twentieth century, gaming in Malta was administered directly by the state through the Public Lotto Department, which oversaw the lottery until 1999. It was against this backdrop that, in 1947, Joseph Rossi founded the Lotto Receivers' Union - bringing receivers together to protect their interests at a time when no dedicated laws or regulations yet existed to do so.
The new century brought significant change. In 2002 the government sought proposals to privatise the gaming industry while retaining regulatory oversight. Maltco Lotteries was awarded the contract and, following negotiations with the L.R.U., began operating in 2004 under an eight-year agreement. In 2012 Maltco secured a fresh ten-year tender that ran until 4 July 2022, a period throughout which the Union continued to represent the receivers and sellers whose work sustained the lottery across the islands.
On 5 July 2022 a new chapter began, as National Lottery plc assumed operation of the National Lottery of Malta under a ten-year concession, accompanied by a ten-year agency agreement with the L.R.U. and the GLAA. That same year the Union finalised a Collective Guarantee for its members - a milestone that reflected the careful stewardship which has defined the L.R.U. since 1947 and which continues to guide it today, under the presidency of Marco Rossi.
Are you a lotto receiver or seller?
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