MARGAO: A Las Vegas type casino town in Goa is now a possibility, as the State government has drafted a Goa Public Gambling (Restriction) Bill to replace the current Goa Daman and Diu Public Gambling Act 1976, that allows for such a town. Although the Bill, a copy of which is in the possession of Herald, may go through a few more revisions till it is finally tabled in the Assembly, the details of the Bill reveal the unspoken Casino Policy of the government.
As expected, the government has shied away from mentioning the word casino anywhere in the Bill. The legal term used instead is ‘common gaming-house’. The most striking change to the existing Act is Section 13A which the government uses to authorise electronic gaming in five-star hotels and all other casino games in offshore vessels. The replacement to this clause is Section 13 in the new Bill.
Five-star hotels have been left in the lurch as their casinos will continue to be restricted to electronic gaming machines, whereas for the offshore casinos operators, there are two reasons to cheer.
The casino vessels can continue to operate for four years after the Bill is enacted, and if they have applied for a licence for a new land-based casino, they can get a further extension.
The Bill also allows the government to create a Las Vegas type casino town. The Bill allows the government to mark an area anywhere in Goa as a ‘designated area’ where common gaming-houses, also known as casinos, can be set up for playing electronic, table or any other form of games. According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill, the restriction of casinos to designated areas is to allow better monitoring and regulations.
This provision will allow the big casino operators currently operating in offshore vessels to construct exclusive casino buildings without the hassle of building and operating a 5-star hotel. The recent enactment of the Mopa Airport Development Authority Act, which gives the authority the powers of the Planning and Development Authority, a municipality or a panchayat under their respective Acts, and also override all the laws, virtually converts the 9 lakh sq metres Mopa city side area into an independent town. Sources in the government revealed that 4 lakh sq metres of the Mopa city side area will be converted into a designated area or casino town/hub.
The Bill also prohibits Goans from gaming at a casino. Any Goan found gaming at a licensed casino is liable for punishment with imprisonment of up to one year and fine of up to Rs 500.
Interestingly, while the Bill focuses entirely on imprisoning Goans for any offences committed by them it has no provision for making any malpractice by a casino operator a punishable offence.
While most of the other clauses in the previous Act remain unchanged, the provisions in the earlier Act that allowed lesser punishment for the first and second offence have been omitted in the new Bill. All convictions related to illegal gambling are cognisable offences with a punishment of up to three years and fine of up to Rs 5000.
There is also a new provision which makes it a cognisable offence to print, distribute, sell or circulate any news or document or information related which aids, encourages or facilitates gambling, such as matka number sheets, can be liable for punishment of up to three years and/or a fine up to Rs 5000.
With regards to animal or bird fights, although the Superintendent of Police can arrest and search any person organising such a fight, the punishment for such activities has remained unchanged at a mere six months imprisonment and/or a fine up to Rs 5000.
