Update 2 - Lotto booths to stay closed as compromise efforts fail

UPDATED 7.30 P.M. Lotto offices across Malta and Gozo will stay closed tomorrow after attempts at breaking a deadlock in a dispute between the GRTU and lotteries operator Maltco failed. Joe Attard, spokesman for the GRTU - to which the Lotto Receivers' Union is affiliated - said two further attempts had been made to break the deadlock today but both failed. "We made proposals to Maltco and its mother company Intralot. Maltco did not reply and Intralot referred us to Maltco," he said. The issue is over a guarantee of €24,000 which Maltco had demanded from a Mosta lotto receiver. The receiver has to date paid a guarantee of €10,000 but says he cannot afford €24,000.  The GRTU today offered a compromise whereby the lotto receivers would jointly guarantee any default by the lotto receiver for eight weeks while talks are held. No reply was received. "We sent them a letter on Friday and four letters since then, and they did not even send an acknowledgement," Mr Attard said. In view of the situation, he said, 218 lotto offices in Malta and Gozo will be closed indefinitely as form tomorrow (This week's lotto is tomorrow). LEGAL ACTION Earlier today, the lotto receiver at the heart of the...