Goa’s casinos are under fire from yet another source—this time it’s an anti-gambling group that isn’t satisfied with official plans to gradually phase out the gambling boats operating off the coast of the western Indian state but wants the industry banished immediately.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has said his administration will eliminate casinos operating on the Mandovi River in and around the state capital of Panaji in four years’ time. But a group calling itself Aam Aurat Admi Against Gambling responded this week with a statement addressed to Mr Parrikar, saying, “We demand that you rid Goa of all the casinos, including the six offshore casinos, which are presently anchored in River Mandovi in four months and not four years.”
The group is particularly angered by the arrival earlier this month of the market’s newest and biggest cruise ship, the US$6 million MV Horseshoe, which was acquired by Indian hotel and leisure giant Delta Corp to replace one of its three casino boats on the river. Delta also operates holiday residences and suites in two hotels in Goa and wants to bring a luxury floating hotel to the state’s Penha da Franca area. That plan was put on hold, however, after local residents protested against it.
The Horseshoe is expected to be equipped with 1,500 gaming positions, restaurants and private VIP gaming areas once it is approved to operate, although Mr Parrikar has been vague on when that will be.
“We demand that the Horseshoe casino which is presently anchored in Mandovi without requisite permissions, be sent out of Goa immediately,” said Sabina Martins, an AAAAG spokeswoman.
Speaking to English-language daily The Times of India, she complained that the offshore casinos, which she labeled “eyesores,” are not only clogging river traffic but have changed the landscape of Panaji. She claimed also that the casinos promote prostitution, drug trafficking, counterfeiting and money laundering and that Goans are suffering from the adverse social impacts.
“We have not entertained any new application,” Mr Parrikar recently told English-language daily The Economic Times. “Also, one of the casinos which had applied to transfer its licence to another management was denied permission to do so. This is enough to indicate that we have no intention to encourage offshore casinos.”
However, he said the government will continue to renew existing licenses until a legal framework is in place allowing it not to, and he further qualified that position by saying that licensing obligations could see the boats continue in place for at least a year after they’ve been banned.
Goa is home to five ship-borne casinos anchored in the Mandovi. Several more casinos operate in tourist hotels.
