Goa’s new gambling regulations will likely not take effect until a new government is formed next year due to insufficient time to notify them, according to a report by the Times of India.
Citing a senior government officer, the report states that implementation of the recently drafted Goa Public Gambling Rules will almost certainly have to wait until after the February 2027 elections because of parliamentary requirements outlined in the Goa, Daman and Diu Public Gambling Act, 1976.
The Act requires the new regulations to first be published in the Official Gazette and then be laid before the Goa Legislative Assembly for at least 14 sitting days. With the elections looming in February 2027, it is reported that there likely will not be a sufficiently long legislative session before the current assembly ends.
The Goa Public Gambling Rules aim to provide Goa’s Gaming Commissioner with clear statutory powers to properly oversee the state’s casino industry. Although the Commissioner has been in place since 2019, the cited officer noted that “presently there is no mechanism in place” to conduct standard checks and balances on casino customers, their source of funds and whether they should be permitted casino access.
Once the rules are ratified, the Commissioner will not only possess such powers but will also have control over what games can be offered, how records are maintained as well as licensing and taxation issues.
The Goa Public Gambling Rules were drawn up in 2022 and tweaked in 2023 but have yet to go through the relevant parliamentary approvals.
It was previously reported that the rules have been approved by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant but there have since been ongoing delays in having them notified.
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