PANAJI
Amid a growing row over the proposed entry of a larger casino vessel on the Mandovi, the Goa government on Friday proposed a 200 per cent increase in the fee for establishing new casinos in the State.
Presenting the State Budget in the Goa Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the government would substantially raise the charges for new casinos.
“The fee for establishing new casinos in the State will be increased by 200 per cent over the existing fee from this year onwards,” Sawant told the House.
The announcement comes at a time when residents in Panaji have been strongly opposing a 2,000-passenger casino vessel, which is said to be a replacement for an existing offshore casino ship anchored in the Mandovi River.
Residents and civil society groups have argued that the vessel -- reportedly larger than existing offshore casinos combined in terms of capacity -- would intensify ecological stress and tourism pressures in the river and surrounding areas.
