PANAJI: After three casino operators came forward and paid their annual recurring fees, other casino operators too have come on board and agreed to pay the full amount in one installment.
The decision comes, even as some of the casino operators had sought that the government allow them to pay their annual recurring fees in installments.
The casino operators were initially seeking a rollback of the fee hikes on grounds that they were too steep and had approached the government for a rollback and had initially asked the government for a provision to pay the fees in installments. The government was willing to consider the demand but no decision has been taken yet.
True enough, sources have informed that two land-based casinos -- Crown Casino and the casino at Marriott Hotel at Miramar, have informed the government that they have shut down their business as it was not viable. Others land-based have decided that they will reduce their floor area in order that they come under a cheaper tax bracket.
On March 27, the government of Goa informed that it was hiking the annual recurring fees of both offshore and onshore casinos manifold with effect from April 1.
