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Goa’s casinos get another six-month stay

With the COVID-19 virus taking over the world, we cannot skip the evergreen matter of shifting casinos from River Mandovi in Goa. We have known for years now that this has been one of the never-ending disputes among the political parties. Numerous discussions, deadline extensions and the latest news that came yesterday was that the state cabinet granted a further six-month extension to the offshore casinos. The last six-month extension lapsed on 31 March 2020 and the cabinet approved to extend from 1 April to 30 September 2020.

Addressing the media, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant confirmed that the extension has been granted to offshore casinos to continue operations in River Mandovi. Now, this is not the first-time that the offshore casinos have been given a six months extension. In fact, the first six-month extension had been issued by the government in April 2018.

There are six offshore casinos operating in River Mandovi, they include Deltin Royale, Pride 1, Deltin JAQK, Pride 2, Caravela and Big Daddy. Goa’s government is finding an alternate waterway for the floating casinos since 2013, but every proposal meets with an opposition from the natives. The city has yet to comment on Wednesday’s news, but Panaji MLA Antanasio Monserrate said he would continue to press for the casinos’ relocation “as was promised to the people of Panaji.”

The license issued under the Goa Daman and Diu Public Gambling Act,1976 to MV Horseshoe Casino expired in August 2018 and renewal is under process. While expiry of license of 4 of the remaining casinos is in 2023 while one casino license is valid till 2021.

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