Team Herald
PANJIM: The Aam Aurat Admi Against Gambling (AAAAG) condemned Goa government’s approval to a fifth offshore casino MV Royale Flotel – Deltin Caravela and will protest the proliferation of casinos. At its meeting on Saturday, the association demanded immediate removal of all casinos from River Mandovi.
“No casino should operate on land or in the waters of Goa. We are opposed to casinos being relocated in inland rivers or onshore. The BJP government came to power on the promise of removing casinos but it has done nothing. The government has instead allowed unregulated casino operations and complete exploitation of the people of Goa, unheard of in any part of the world where casinos operate,” AAAAG Convener Sabina Martins said.
The meeting resolved to call for an immediate ban on advertisements of casinos and removal of hoardings, and removal of structures erected by casinos on footpaths.
“We strongly object to the advertisement of casinos, more so the derogatory advertisements using women, enticing women into casinos for nefarious activities. Casinos have given Panjim the appearance of a red light area with their garish disco lights on the footpath in close proximity to roads, violating laws,” she elaborated.
AAAAG has demanded the government pass legislation to remove the amendment to the Goa Gambling Prevention Act that permitted casinos while also inspecting and taking action on pollution in the rivers.
