In a statement on the Stock Exchange, HSBC Bank Malta has announced the sale of its card acquiring business to HSBC Merchant Services Ltd (Global), a Malta subsidiary company of Global Payments Inc.

Malta has opposed EU’s Competitiveness Council meeting which adopted a definition of illegal gambling as: “gambling in which operators do not comply with the national law of the country where services are offered, provided those national laws are in compliance with EU treaty principles".

On the 24^th and 25^th March, Malta hosted the World Gambling Briefing 2010.

While Malta's position on the Swedish Gambling Report remains contrarian, the Malta Lotteries & Gaming Authority believes that Malta should not be affected. Seeing that Malta has already taken great care and pride in making sure that excellent measures are already in place, Malta has absolutely nothing to worry about. The Malta gaming board added that there could be improvement on a European level if the Commission continues to enforce community provisions, review of national legislation and adequate communication between the regulators and the sector itself, ‘…but government-run monopolies are not the solution to responsible gaming as this report seems to indicate.

Next December or January the Spanish Government will provide a draft bill on gambling and Internet gambling to the Autonomous Communities Councils.