6 off-shore Goa casinos to shut down by next year

One of the best things to do in Goa for travellers is to experience the joy of casinos. But that might soon change. According to reports, the Panaji Civic Body has now decided to not renew trade license of six off-shore casinos that were operating on the Mandovi river. This will thus force the casinos to move out of Panaji’s jurisdiction.
While Mayor Uday Madkaikar said that the authorities have decided not to renew the trade licences of these casinos, Panaji MLA Atanasio Monserratte said that these off-shore casinos will be moved out of Panaji before the assembly by-elections in May next year. According to him, the off-shore casinos have had their licences renewed for this financial year, but they shall not be extended again once the existing ones expire. The off-shore casinos can run their business until March 2020.
Last month, after a section of people demanded to shift these casinos from the Mandovi river, Goa Port Minister had conducted a study to see whether these casinos can be moved towards Mandovi’s Aguada side.

The casinos are a large attraction in Goa as India does not have casinos elsewhere other than two states, Goa and Sikkim. Shutting down of the off-shore casinos would be a big loss for tourists.