Become a lotto receiver & join the Union.
Lotto receivers have been part of everyday life in Malta for generations, serving their communities from booths and offices across the islands. If you are considering becoming a lotto receiver or seller, or you already operate an outlet and want to understand how the Lotto Receivers' Union (L.R.U.) can support you, this page sets out the essentials and answers the questions we are asked most often. Founded in 1947 by Joseph Rossi, the L.R.U. exists to protect the interests of Malta's lotto receivers and sellers, and to represent them with one credible, united voice.
What is a lotto receiver?
A lotto receiver is an authorised agent of Malta's National Lottery: the person who holds an agency and operates a licensed outlet where members of the public can play the national games. The National Lottery of Malta is run under a government concession by National Lottery plc, a subsidiary of the IZI Group, which became the operator on 5 July 2022 under a ten-year concession and is licensed and regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority. Receivers are the public face of that network, offering games such as Lotto, Super5, Pick3, FastKeno, the Grand Lottery and scratch cards from their counters in towns and villages across Malta and Gozo.
Being a receiver is about far more than processing tickets. It means running a small business at the heart of a community, building trust with regular customers, handling cash and prize payments accurately, and operating to the standards expected of a regulated industry, including a strict over-18 policy and a duty to promote responsible play. Receivers, sellers and their seller assistants together make up the front line of the National Lottery, and the L.R.U. has represented their interests, and those of their families, since 1947.
The benefits of membership
A trusted community business
Lotto receivers operate licensed outlets that serve their local communities, providing a familiar, dependable place to play the national games and collect prizes.
The national games, sold responsibly
Receivers offer the National Lottery's portfolio, from Lotto and Super5 to Pick3, FastKeno and scratch cards, always within a regulated, over-18, responsible-gaming framework.
Strength in collective representation
As an L.R.U. member you are not negotiating alone. The Union represents receivers and sellers in dealings with the operator and within the wider industry, helping to secure fair agency agreements.
Heritage, continuity and member support
Established in 1947 and affiliated to the Malta Chamber of SMEs, the L.R.U. combines long experience with practical support, working to make the coming years a success story for its members.
Frequently asked questions
A lotto receiver is a licensed agent of Malta's National Lottery who operates an authorised outlet, a lotto booth or office, where the public can play the national games and claim prizes. Receivers are the long-established retail face of the lottery in Malta and Gozo. The National Lottery is run under a government concession by National Lottery plc (an IZI Group company), which became the operator on 5 July 2022 and is regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority.
In everyday terms, a lotto receiver is the authorised agent who holds the agency and is responsible for running the outlet, while sellers and seller assistants are those who serve customers at the counter within those outlets. The L.R.U. represents the whole front line of the National Lottery: as at 2022 this was roughly 210 lotto receivers and sellers together with about 465 seller assistants, and their families.
The National Lottery of Malta is operated under concession by National Lottery plc and overseen by the Malta Gaming Authority, and it is the operator, within that regulatory framework, that determines how authorised agents and sellers are appointed and where new outlets are needed. Because requirements and opportunities can change, we recommend approaching National Lottery plc directly about retail and agency opportunities. We also encourage prospective and existing agents to contact the L.R.U., which can offer guidance and representation as you take up the role.
The Lotto Receivers' Union represents and protects the interests of Malta's lotto receivers and sellers. It was founded in 1947 by Joseph Rossi precisely because there were then no laws or regulations safeguarding receivers. Today the L.R.U. is affiliated to the Malta Chamber of SMEs and works alongside the Gaming & Lotteries Agents Association (GLAA) to represent the national lottery agents, including in the agency agreement that regulates the business relationship with National Lottery plc over the current ten-year concession. The Union has said it is working with the operator with a view to making the coming ten years a success story.
If you are a lotto receiver, seller or seller assistant and would like to join, please contact the L.R.U. office, which will guide you through membership. You can write to info@lrumalta.com, call +356 99267058, or visit us at 7 St. Andrew Street, Valletta. Membership connects you to collective representation and, through the Union's affiliation, to the Malta Chamber of SMEs.
Membership is organised on an annual basis. The most recently published fee, for 2022/2023, was EUR 155.00, which included affiliation to the Malta Chamber of SMEs. As part of the arrangements finalised in 2022, the Union also concluded a Collective Guarantee, and members' contributions are redeemed once an agent ends their agency within the ten-year period. For the current year's fee and exact details, please contact the L.R.U. office directly.
The National Lottery operates within a regulated, responsible-gaming framework set by the operator and the Malta Gaming Authority. In practice this means receivers and sellers must apply a strict over-18 policy, never selling to minors, and must support responsible play, including signposting customers to help where appropriate. Promoting a safe, responsible environment protects both customers and the long-term reputation of the trade, and the L.R.U. encourages all members to uphold these standards.
For matters relating to the Union, including membership, representation and guidance, contact the L.R.U. office at 7 St. Andrew Street, Valletta, by email at info@lrumalta.com or by phone on +356 99267058. For questions about operating an outlet, the games or formal agency arrangements, National Lottery plc is the operator of the National Lottery of Malta and can advise on retail opportunities and operational requirements.
Ready to join?
Contact the Secretariat to learn about membership, the annual fee and the Collective Guarantee.