By Ben Blaschke
Goa’s state home department has initiated a process to ban locals from entering any of the Indian state’s casinos or gambling dens.
As part of the government’s draft Gaming Commission Rules, any Goan found gambling in either Goa’s four offshore vessels or its many onshore dens would be arrested, as would anyone under the age of 21.
The proposal is set to be forwarded to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar this week for approval having undergone a series of amendments since it was first mooted in February 2016.
Mr Parrikar told DD News this past weekend, “I sincerely believe that gambling is not good. If we can, we should remove it from the state. It is human nature to gamble – that is why we cannot eradicate it completely – but definitely we cannot encourage it.
“That is why we had decided on a policy to ban Goans from going to casinos. A lot has been done about it and in the days to come there will be complete ban on locals going to casinos.
Mr Parrikar has also promised to relocate the state’s offshore casinos but said they wouldn’t be shut down completely due to a responsibility to investors.
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