Goa to announce casino policy next week

Monday 18th of December 2017

The government in the state of Goa will announce its new policy to govern the casino industry next week, with all five offshore casinos expected to be relocated from the Mandovi river, local media reports.

In an announcement to the Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said there would be a defined timeframe for the move.

Goa has five operational offshore casinos and more than half dozen onshore casinos located in many of the five-star resorts in the coastal regions. Operators have been waiting for some time for legislation on boats for some time.

In an annual report, the country’s biggest casino operator Delta Corp. welcomed the proposed changes. Chairman Jaydev Mody said onshore properties will be easier to “scale up” and are more stable. Delta, which is already the dominant operator in the state with three of the six offshore licenses and a land-based casino, says it plans to increase its operations.The company runs the Deltin Royale Goa, the largest offshore gaming vessel with more than 800 positions across 116 tables and slot machines on five levels, The Deltin Jaqk with 400 positions and separate VIP gaming areas and the recently relaunched Deltin Caravela, which was India’s first offshore floating casino and the only one with a hotel. It has more than 100 gaming positions with 17 tables and 10 slot machines.

Bricks & Mortar Legislation Floating Casinos Locals ban Onshore