Government to define rules for running off-shore casinos

Panaji, Mar 28 (UNI) The Goa government is contemplating to amend rules defining modalities for operating off-shore casinos.

Home minister Ravi Naik made this announcement while replying to a call attention notice by opposition leader Manohar Parrikar in the House.

Mr Parrikar had earlier alleged that the government was allowing the casinos to operate illegally on river Mandovi even as they were clogging the city jetty, affecting the movement of other vessels.

He sought review of the licencing policy of casinos so that the vessels operating casinos do not anchor at the jetties and operate on the shore-line instead of off-shore.

He clarified that his party was against the concept of casinos itself but the government was planning to give licence for more casinos.

Mrs Victoria Fernandes (Congress), however, pleaded for cancelling the operation of the casinos, which had a bad effect on the youth whereas Anil Salgaokar(Ind) sought more facilities for parking onshore so that the customers could engage themselves with the casinos off shore.

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