Goa residents will not be allowed to visit casinos

From 2019, it is planned that only tourists will be able to visit Goa casinos, and a ban will be announced for local residents. This policy is designed to protect them from the gambling addiction.

Opposition parties and public organizations have long urged the authorities to prohibit local residents from visiting casinos, so the adoption of such a decision was not a surprise.

“Goa’s official policy - that only tourists can visit gambling establishments,” - said Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

Now, the exact plan for the implementation of this decision is not voiced. According to preliminary information, it will enter into force on January 1, 2019.

The chief minister also announced that many of the offshore (floating) casinos will be moved to other regions, and licensing of new gambling establishments of this type will not be discussed. For many years Goa has been consistently combating the spread of gambling.

According to Kundan Shetai, one of the owners of floating casinos, the business will be destroyed by 50% after the law enters into force.

It is also reported that after the entry into force of the new legislation, the license will become more expensive. Operators of floating casinos will not be delighted with the fact that their establishments will be “moved”, but the owners of land facilities will face even more unfavorable conditions. Given the tourist decline, it is likely that the casino will be forced to close.