Draft rules to ban Goans' entry in casinos under study: CM

Draft rules banning entry of Goaresidents in casinos are under consideration of the stategovernment, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told the assemblyon Thursday.

The Goa Gambling Act governs casinos and an amendmentis required in the legislation to ban entry of local residentsin casinos, which are popular with tourists.

Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar sought to know from thegovernment whether rules banning Goans in casinos are inplace.

Draft rules banning Goans in casinos are underconsideration of the government, the Chief Minister said in awritten reply.

The then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had assuredthat Goans would be banned from entering casinos by amendingthe Gambling Act.

In another question, Gaonkar sought to know the statusof governments decision to shift off-shore casinos (operatingfrom vessels) away from the Mandovi river near Panaji.

Sawant said the home department has allowed theoffshore casinos to operate in the river Mandovi till March31, 2021, or till an alternate site is notified by theGovernment, whichever is earlier, subject to condition thatsuch license is in force during such period.

Goa has seven off-shore casinos in the Mandovi and adozen on-shore gambling outlets operating in different five-star hotels in the tourist state.

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