Cap. 400 Art. 15Grant of casino licence.

(1) It shall be lawful for the Authority by licence to authorise a person to open and operate a casino in Malta.

(2) The Authority shall not issue such licence to a person unless that person is a company registered in Malta and unless it appears to the Authority that -

(a) the relevant voting share capital of the proposed casino licensee is owned, directly or indirectly, by a person or persons of integrity;

(b) the director or directors of the company or of any affiliate thereof are persons of integrity; be subject to the annual payment of a licence fee. Subject to compliance with the provisions of this Act, the licence, unless it is sooner surrendered or cancelled, may be renewed by the Authority. A casino licence shall, in all cases, be conditional to there being a concession by the Minister in favour of the licensee in accordance with the provisions of Part II of this Act.

(4) The casino licence shall be in a form approved by the Board and -

(a) shall specify inter alia:

(i) the date of its issue;

(ii) the date of its expiration;

(iii) the name of the licensee;

(iv) an address in Malta specified by the licensee for the service of documents on the licensee;

(v) the address of the casino;

(vi) the maximum number of tables that can be operated under the licence;

(vii) the maximum number of machines allowed to be used under the licence;

(viii) the minimum opening hours;

(ix) such other particulars relating to the casino as the Authority considers necessary; and

(x) such other particulars as may be prescribed;

(b) shall identify the area or areas by reference to plans designated to be the casino.

(5) (a) A licensee shall within fourteen days of any change in the ownership of any share capital of the company or of its affiliates and of any change in the management or Board of Directors of the company or of its affiliates inform the Authority of such change.

(b) If pursuant to any change as is referred to in paragraph

(a) a situation is brought about that had it existed at the time of the application for the licence, would have disqualified the company from obtaining a licence in accordance with subarticle (2), the Authority shall by notice inform the licensee accordingly and if the situation shall not have been remedied within one calendar month from the notice to that effect by the Authority, the Authority shall revoke the licence: Provided that the Authority shall not issue a notice as aforesaid later than three calendar months after being informed by the licensee of the change in accordance with paragraph (a).

(6) Failure to comply with the provisions of subarticle (5) shall by itself in carrying out its functions under this Act, determine the casino licence fee, in the casino licence, for the purposes of this

Act.

(2) The casino licence fee is payable in advance to the Authority on behalf of the Government on each anniversary of the licence by the casino licensee.

(3) Determinations and variations under sub-article (1) shall not be made at intervals of less than twelve months.