After Banning Liquor At Beaches, Goa Now Will Only Allow Tourists To Enter Casinos
Sunday, August 5, 2018 IST
Incessant demands by opposition as well as civil society organisations to curb gambling habits among the people of Goa, Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar on Friday announced that come January 2019, only visiting tourists will be allowed to enter Goa casinos.
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The aim behind this move is to restrict the entry of locals after the state was criticised for spoiling the social environment of the tourist destination by encouraging gambling. Parrikar told the Goa legislative assembly, “As a policy Goans will not be permitted to enter the casino’s playing areas and only visiting tourists shall be permitted. A mechanism in this regard will be put in place once the gaming commissioner is appointed and appropriate rules for regulation shall be formulated.”, the HT reported.
Not only fresh offshore casinos wouldn’t be allowed but the existing offshore casinos floating in the Mandovi river off the state’s capital Panaji will be moved out of the designated game zone.
“The government shall identify notified designated zones where present offshore casinos can be shifted. That means the government will notify zones.Licences for offshore casinos will be issued provided they grant their willingness to shift within a year’s time” CM further said.
However, the business of casino owners will plummet by 50% due to the restriction of Goans into casinos. If the government’s decision in the beginning of the year of increasing the annual recurring fees of casinos by more than 100% is taken down then these casinos might manage to run their business.
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