Floating Casinos in Goa Refuse Relocation Offer

27th July 2016

Floating Casinos in Goa have indicated their opposition to the proposition regarding their relocation. Increasing concerns over the ascending power of the casino magnates in Goa are seem to be the main reasons behind the relocation plans of the floating casinos in Goa.

Image Credit: Casino Carnival

India’s tourist haven Goa is an important gambling hub in South Asia. There are five offshore and a dozen brick and mortar casinos located in luxurious hotels in the southwestern state of India. Especially the offshore, also known as floating, casinos attract many gambling enthusiasts from all over the world.

According to online gambling news, increasing popularity and power of floating casinos in Goa urged the state government to take actions in order to restrict their power. Earlier this year, Goa’s Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar gave one year to the floating casinos in Goa to find more proper places than the Mandovi River for themselves. The Captain of Ports (COP) proposed four potential docking locations. Nevertheless, his offered wasn’t welcomed by the owners of the floating casinos in Goa.

The state Minister for Port Administration Dilip Parulekar stated that the COP found a suitable location for the floating casinos at the Chicalm Bay on the Zuari River. The Chicalm Bay property falls in the jurisdiction of Mormugao Port Trust and the property has already been vetted by the Trust.

Floating Casinos in Goa Won’t Seem to Accept Changing Their Current Locations

Despite all the complicated plans prepared by the local government, the floating casinos in Goa do not want to change their locations as they are satisfied with the geographical values of the lands that they occupy currently. Moreover, the operators claim that there have not been any unrest stemmed from the casinos for 18 years. Therefore, there is no good reason to relocate the floating casinos.

However, there is a bigger concern behind the state government’s insistence on relocation the floating casinos. Recently, the opposition legislator Pandurang Madkaikar stated that the casino magnates are increasing their authority in Goa. It may come to a point that the casino lobby may have the power to decide Goa’s future chief minister.

Madkaikar pointed Macau as an example of a casino state which has lost its identity due to the casino lobby. The main aim is protecting the state’s interests while keeping the casino mafia out of the important state matters.

It is a fact that the casino magnates are increasing their power over the state’s politics and economy. However, the casinos are essential for Goa tourism industry and the state’s budget. If gambling fans lose their interest in brick and mortar casinos, they will head to offshore online gambling sites despite the fact that internet gambling and online poker in India are strictly regulated in the country.