The government has moved swiftly in the past few days to announce a ban on Goans gambling in casinos from February 1. And in quick time the Commissioner for Commercial Taxes is named as the gaming commissioner. If this was so simple, what was the fuss all this while about banning Goans? Mind you; this debate has been going on since the Manohar Parrikar regime of 2017? Is this just a move to preempt opposition attack over unfulfilled promises in the Budget assembly session scheduled to begin next week? Lest we forget, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had given an assurance to the House in the August 2019.
And how does this ban work? The gaming commission will have the authority to formulate rules and regulations to govern the casino industry as well as work out systems to keep Goans away from gambling. But, it’s easier said than done. Casinos will be a different ball game for the Commissioner for Commercial Taxes who will have to study the nuances of the trade thoroughly.
On the face of it, the onus of barring a Goan from such gambling will rest with casino management. They will finally take a call on entry and exits, and which is why the entire exercise could come under a cloud. Moreover, the privacy of the high and mighty, who till now preferred to remain anonymous in this high-stakes gamble, could be breached because the identity comes into focus. Could this play spoil-sport?
The nearly two-decade casino industry contributes around Rs 300-crore to the treasury in licence fees and around Rs 90 crore per year as State GST. Plus there are other fees, anchorage charges and taxes. And that’s sizeable revenue, more significantly at a time when the State coffers are running dry due to mining shutdown and unpredictable tourism seasons.
This debate brings us to another question. Is this ban in the larger interest of the ordinary citizen or the affluent class? It is a known fact that the business class and the wealthy layer of the Goan society indulge in casino gambling. The ordinary citizen continues to gamble with his favourite ‘matka’. Why doesn’t the government move to protect citizens from this form of gambling with a similar resolve? Why is the illegal matka allowed to thrive and flourish with the blessings of the law-keepers?
The government has failed to arrest ‘matka’ where lives of the ordinary citizens are not only affected but in some cases ruined. This form of illegal gambling goes unchecked through the length and breadth of Goa, thanks to the ‘hafta’ doing its rounds.
The seriousness of this move will be tested over time. Raids and clampdown on gambling have flopped till now. Also, the government is in no position to gamble with the revenue it gets from casinos. It’s over to the gaming commissioner.
