PANAJI: Years after casinos were introduced in the State, the Goa government will finally table a policy in the Goa Legislative Assembly to regulate the casino industry.
“The casino policy will be tabled in the monsoon session,” Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told reporters on Monday. The three-week monsoon session of the Assembly starts on Tuesday.
Five offshore casinos operate in the Mandovi river, while 10 others operate from hotels and resorts in the five-star and above category. The sixth vessel has sought permission to operate in the Mandovi river, and the State government has said, “new casino allowed in the river as per High Court order”.
Breaking his silence over the sixth offshore casino vessel, MV Lucky Seven , which ran aground at Miramar beach on Sunday, Mr. Parrikar said he had issued instructions that the vessel be taken back to Mormugao Port Trust.
Vijay Sardesai, Minister for Town and Country Planning, who belongs to the Goa Forward Party, had said last week that the Cabinet collectively was in favour of shifting the casinos from Mandovi river either to the high seas or to land, and that the casino policy would include provision for this. “We do not want more casinos in Mandovi,” he had said, responding to a question over permission for the sixth casino.
