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It`s been nearly three years since the Goa government first tabled the draft casino policy, and the notification of the rules for the same may finally come through soon. If a State Home Department senior official is to be believed, the draft rules have been sent to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for final approval. Once the CM gives his nod, the state will initiate the process for notification of the legislation.
Does this mean we can soon look forward to a proper regulatory mechanism for casinos in Goa? According to the senior official several local media outlets have quoted, things are expected to move ahead quickly this year. The official also divulged that the casino policy would clearly define his role and give him wide-reaching powers to manage the casino sector.
What Will Change After Casino Policy is Approved?
Currently, the casino operators issue entry tickets to visitors directly. According to sources, once the rules come into force, the Gaming Commissioner will be able to check the inventory and verify the entry numbers in casinos.
Secondly, instead of the Home Department, the Gaming Commissioner will monitor the casino operations, including authority over casino licensing and collecting the annual recurring fees from the operators. The commissioner will also be able to investigate an operator and, if required, freeze operations of a casino or seal any casino vessel.
Here is a quick summary of the dominant powers that the Gaming Commissioner is likely to have:
> Control/authority over the games conducted/ operated in designated gaming areas
> Empowered to issue entry tickets for the casinos, maintain a record of the number of visitors
> Manage casino licensing
> Collect annual license fee
> Authority to preserve records, documents related to the gaming sector
> Empowered to investigate and act on complaints related to casinos
> Empowered to order closure or seal any casino in a hotel
> Empowered to take custody of a casino vessel in case of violations by the operators
> Empowered to train general management on video games performed in the designated areas
The coastal state is the primary hub for casino gaming in India. The state’s casino policy envisioned to regulate the sector has been in the making for over a decade. The policy draft was formulated under the governance of CM Sawant’s predecessor, the late Goa CM Manohar Parrikar.
Over the years, there has been a hue and cry over casinos operating on floating vessels moored on River Mandovi. The government looked at alternatives like shifting the ships to the Verem side of River Mandovi but could not identify a suitable alternate location.
The government had earlier proposed to table the draft casino policy by January 2020, and CM Sawant even told that Goans would not be allowed inside casinos starting February 1, 2020. At the same time, the Commercial Tax Commissioner was appointed as the state’s Gaming Commissioner.
However, the commissioner`s role could not be defined in the absence of a casino policy. Moreover, the government`s proposed ban on locals in casinos got challenged in court, resulting in a status quo.
Even as Sawant’s plans to ban Goans from casinos drew sharp criticism from the opposition, the government forced all casinos to close on March 15 as part of the nationwide COVID shutdown. Three months later, CM Sawant said the notification of the Goa Public Gambling Act (Amendment) 2012 would be taken forward only after a careful review of the concerned rules and once the COVID-19 situation improves.
Clearly, once notified, the casino policy will significantly change the way the casinos do business in Goa.
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