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| Govt still considers Leela Venture's plea to sell its casino |
| Press Trust of India / New Delhi Jul 28, 2009, 15:48 IST |
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Goa government today said that it is still considering M/s Leela Ventures' application to sell off the floating casino ship to another company.
Goa Home Minister Ravi Naik today told the State Legislative Assembly that they have received the request on June 16, 2009 from M/s Leela Ventures to approve the transfer of their casino licence to M/s Golden Globe Hotels.
"The proposal, however, is under consideration of the government," Naik said in a written reply today.
Goa has five off-shore casinos which are anchored in Panaji's Mandovi river. The floating casino business has hit the controversy after the BJP and NGOs opposing this form of gambling.
Leela Ventures, which owns a property in South Goa, had initially purchased the off-shore casino in 2006 to anchor behind its hotel property in River Sal. It has to shift from the river basin and anchor its vessel 30 kms away in Panaji after protests from fishermen community who found the vessel as hindrance to their traditional activity.
This was the second off-shore casino in the state, first being licenced to M/s Carevella which was running 'Casino Goa' in 1999.
Although floating casinos has annoyed the NGOs which are protesting against them, the rough estimate tabled on the floor of the House reveals that around 1.2 lakh tourists have visited the off-shore casinos.
Goa government, sensing growing opposition for these off- shore gambling, has increased the entry fee per person from Rs 200 to Rs 2,000 in its recent budget placed during the ongoing Assembly session.
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