Goa casino industry waits for legislation
Previous administration has promised casino legislation
Although Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said in an interview that “a policy to govern the state’s casinos, coupled with the establishment of a Gaming Commission, is still under examination,” it is unlikely that the casino legislation draft promised by the previous administration will be available before the end of the year.
Former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar announced last year that Goa’s modern casino legislation draft would be released by last August, but upon questioning in Congress Sawant gave his answer in writing to the Legislative Assembly, giving no reason for the delay.
So far, six licenses have been given to offshore casinos and eight licenses have been issued to onshore casinos. No cases of violation of any casino license term or condition have been reported to the government so far.
Parrikar had proposed the creation of a special entertainment zone, which would involve bringing Goa’s offshore casinos onshore. Industry analysts believe that such a move would be game changing for the state’s gambling industry, paving the way for investment into integrated resorts.
As Japan readies for licensing casinos in IRs in the country with provisions of multi billion dollars revenue, following Singapore, Macao and the Philippines success as gambling destinations in the Asian region, Indian politicians understand that local gamblers are playing in such countries as well as South Africa. They secretly covet the tax windfall that casinos would bring to India, and specifically to Goa.
