Goa extends casino relocation deadline

The state government reported that the deadline to relocate the five offshore casinos on the Mandovi river was pushed to September.

India.- Goa’s government has revealed that the deadline to find a new home for the five offshore casinos that are currently operating in the Mandovi river has been pushed to September 20, as authorities haven’t reached a decision yet.

Whilst the original deadline had already been pushed to September 30, the Goa officials reassured operators on Tuesday that the decision will take place after spring’s elections in the city. Last year, Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said that they inditified four possible locations to relocate the off shore casinos, but they were either not feasible for the operators or it presented opposition from locals. The government received petitions through the course of the last few months from employees who asked to stop the relocation as they would lose their jobs or even be forced to travel multiple hours to cover their shifts. The decision to extend the deadline deepens the differences between the ruling party and the opposition.

Moreover, the territory has been considering banning the entry of locals, and the decision would certainly have a huge impact on the city as bars, clubs and casinos would suffer from it.