Going by the kind of winds presently blowing, it appears that Casinos, are
here to stay. Unlike other areas of the world where casinos operate, Goa
brought in casinos without any regulatory body. In fact insiders concede
that despite the protestations of casino operators, there is no minimum
percentage of how much winnings have to go back to the players.
Politicians too have been making promises. But the implementation of these
promises is quite bad and even though a Bill was introduced in the House to
regulate this industry in 2013, nothing much has been done.
Home department officials concede that they are still in the process of drafting
the rules. And only after that, can the whole act be put in place.
Casinos were brought in not through a separate dedicated legislation, but
basically by amending the existing Goa Public Gambling (Prevention) Act which
was placed before the House in form of Bill and passed. According to the bill,
the gaming commission would oversee the operations of casinos in Goa and
ensure all conditions are complied with. The gaming commissioner has been
given powers (in the bill) to impose fines and initiate prosecution in case of noncompliance
of any rules. The bill also allows entry to casinos only for non-locals
above 21 years who have obtained tourist permits from the gaming commissioner.
Apart from the manifesto promise, the first official announcement of the
incumbent BJP government came on the floor of the House in
July 2012, when then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said that he would set
up a gaming commission along with drafting new legislation, to regulate it.
In May 2013, Parrikar assured that he would notify the said Bill, introduced in
the Budget session, in the monsoon session in 2013.
Parrikar defended the delay in notifying the Bill saying that since the regulation
of casino operation were complicated and a serious issue, a thorough study has
to be made before notifying the Bill. In the very same year, Government reduced
the entry fee of casinos from Rs 1500 to Rs 500 per person, a move widely
criticised by the Opposition as well as social activists.
The Gaming Commission was expected to be fashioned on the lines of the
Nevada Gaming Commission (which controls gambling in Las Vegas) and will
regulate the casino industry, including the percentage the casinos make out of
gamblers, besides ensuring a grievance redressal mechanism.
In January 2014, Government said that by February 28 it would ban the
entry of Goans below age of 21 in the casinos and would also set up a gaming
commission. There has been no progress on this so far.
In August 2014, the Government once again reiterated its promise to notify
the rules and set upa gaming commission.
The BJP-led government has promised to frame a policy for casinos in the
only State in India to permit live gambling. Goa has four offshore casinos and
nearly a dozen onshore casinos which operate from five-star resorts which dot
the coastline. But nothing has happened thus far.
Like many other promises, these too have remained on paper !
