Malta is not short of gambling opportunities, both legal and illegal. On a legally-accepted basis, apart from the lotto, Super 5, scratch cards and slot machines, there exists a bingo subculture that feeds the coffers of parishes and political parties as well as any other legitimate fund-raising activity.

Like other bad habits, gambling has a negative impact on society. Unfortunately, the majority of the Maltese have an obsession with gambling and provide fertile ground for exploitation. This is confirmed by Mgr Victor Grech who says that one of the major concerns of Caritas Malta is gambling dependency in all its forms.