No entry for Goans into casinos from Feb 1

Panaji, Jan 30: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday announced that people of the state will not be allowed entry into the casinos operating in the state starting February 1.

Talking to reporters here, Sawant said the Commissioner of Goods and Services Tax, who is also the gaming commissioner, will implement the ban.

A large number of Goans and several political parties, including the Congress, had been seeking a ban on the casinos in the state, alleging that these establishments were against the local culture and causing financial devastation for families.

The coastal state is home to six offshore and a dozen onshore casinos that witness heavy footfall of tourists and locals alike.

"I had assured on the floor of the House during the last Assembly session (August 2019) that Goans would be banned from entering casinos. We are going to implement the assurance from February 1," the chief minister said. The rules required for the strict implementation of the ban would be framed later, he added. "We are going step by step," Sawant said.