the goan I network
PANAJI
Matka gambling in Goa has seen a recession in Goa as one of the main interstate operators “Mumbai Main” has stopped operating in the State.
Yet, sizable amount of turnovers continue to be recorded in the Satta Matka betting operations in the State, sources in the illegal trade said.
Kalyan and Mumbai Main are two major bazaars operational in Goa. It is learnt that recently the Maharastra police cracked down on the key players operating the Mumbai Main matka. As a result these operations have entirely stopped in Goa.
Though the coastal state has five offshore casinos and around 10 onshore casinos operating from the numerous five-star resorts, Matka, an illegal daily lottery, is still popular among adult males.
A study done by Goa-based NGO Sangath based on a sample survey of 658 adult male participants reveals that 39.5 per cent of the respondents admitted to having engaged in matka gambling.
Matka is an illegal form of gambling which is immensely popular in Mumbai and Konkan region since the 1970s.
Matka, despite being an illegal form of gambling is played more frequently by gamblers. The Bombay High Court bench in Panaji is monitoring a probe being conducted by the Crime Branch of the Goa Police into matka operations in Goa.
