Days after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced that Goans are being banned from visiting casinos in the state from February 1, state Ports Minister Michael Lobo on Monday struck a discordant note.
Lobo, a BJP MLA, also demanded that "matka gambling" be legalised in the state and a "GST-like" tax imposed on the activity.
"Goans should be allowed to continue visiting Casinos. There was a difference between entry and gaming and that Goans could not be stopped from entering casinos. Besides gaming, there's #music, #entertainment #food etc," he tweeted.
He also tweeted that Matka gambling be legalised and brought under the ambit of law.
"There should not be any illegal gambling in Goa. Goa government must impose a 12 per cent GST-like tax on it," Lobo tweeted.
Sawant had also said that Gaming Commission would be notified as the authority to formulate rules for the casino industry and to keep Goans away from the casino stations.
Currently, six offshore and a dozen onshore casinos operate in Goa.
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