India: Maharashtra to consider legalisations of casinos

A bill will be presented during the upcoming Monsoon session of parliament. 

India.- The Maharashtra government has decided to move ahead with the legalisation of casinos in the state. A bill will be presented during the upcoming Monsoon session of parliament. 

Reports suggest that the state government is exploring the possibility of casinos at popular tourist destinations. The move comes after the recent decision of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to impose a 28 per cent tax rate on the full face value of online gaming, casinos and horse betting.

According to local media, authorities have seen this as a way to increase the state’s revenue. Some politicians and business people had called for the legalisation of casinos, pointing to the presence of gaming in neighbouring Goa.

Manoj Chavan, the general secretary of the small right-wing party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) previously said that casinos in Maharashtra’s popular tourist destinations such as Lonavala, Mahabaleshwar, Mumbai and Konkan could potentially attract visitors year-round. He estimated potential revenues of up to $1.1bn, with the government receiving over $300m.

Chavan said casino gaming would have a ripple effect on related sectors such as tourism, entertainment, and hospitality, creating indirect tax revenue and employment opportunities throughout Maharashtra.