Goa finds its casino style5 Sep 2006 The rising popularity of the online casino industry is drawing many into this lucrative market, but India is going down the standard casino road, all because of a bad internet connection. There are other reasons of course, although not quite as crucial. The Indian government wishes to draw in more international tourists to Goa, which has been a haven for travelers for the past few years. They want to create more jobs and give a boost to the economy, gathering taxes along the way. But they are running into some trouble.
The Indian government has been criticized by the Bharatiya Janata party for its proposal to set up ten offshore casinos near Goa. Leader of the opposition is worried that Goa will transform into a dangerous destination which will eventually promote prostitution and gambling-centric tourism. A state home ministry's advertisement that appeared last week in local newspapers, invited 10 vessels to set up offshore casinos on a first come first serve basis, it also implied that six people had already applied and had paid their processing fee.
The government is planning on going ahead with this plan, and this is not its first experience with casino life. Although gambling is outlawed in India, offshore casinos are legal. Currently the Casino Goa is the only legalized casino and it is located offshore in Panaji in Goa. Aboard the yacht, worth an estimated 110 million rupees, there are eleven tables of Roulette, Blackjack and rummy, which operate in close proximity with a few electronic slot machines. The casino has themed restaurants, barbecues atop the deck and a decently sized swimming pool. Following the opening of Casino Goa, the government had planned not to provide licenses to any more casinos in the state. Times have changed and India looks to expand its hold in the casino industry, and might even think of targeting not only foreign tourists but wealthy Indian residents.
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