Goa's onshore casino operators protest against fee hike

Onshore casino operators in Goa today protested against what they claimed was a steep hike in annual licence fees.

These operators, addressing a press conference here, said that the hike was not proportionate, when compared to that for offshore casinos, and would hamper business.

Goa has seven offshore casinos, operating out of ships anchored on the Mandovi river, and nine onshore ones which run out of five star hotels, officials said.

In March, the state government had proposed a hike in the annual licence fee of onshore casinos from Rs 8.5 crore (for casinos with gaming area of 1000 square metres) to Rs 40 crore, while the fee for offshore casinos was hiked from Rs 12 crore (for vessels with a capacity of 400 passengers) to Rs 40 crore.

"We are not against a hike but it should have been proportionate. It is four to five times the current fees and this will hamper business. The fee hike for offshore casinos is less," Kundan Shetye, an onshore casino operator said.

He said that they should be allowed to have live gaming, like their offshore counterparts, as it attracts more tourists.

He demanded that the state government set up a Gaming Commission to regulate the casino industry.