The Indian state of Goa may be getting its sixth river casino.
In August, Goa Chief Minsiter Laxmikant Parsekar said he is considering renewing the license of one offshore casino if its operator pays its fees, including penalties and interest.
That operator was Golden Globe Hotels Private Limited (GGHPL), which had reportedly paid the annual recurring fee and other fees—amounting to an estimated INR50 crore (USD7.45 million)—to the state government. GGHPL, according to several news outlets, has also applied for the renewal of its offshore casino license.
The company has deposited the recurring fees complete with 12 percent interest, from 2011 to 2016, and added INR20 lakh as security deposit.
Goa initially issued a license to M/S Hotel Leela Ventures to operate on the Mandovi river in 2006. Hotel Leela’s operations were later transferred to GGHPL on the condition that GGHPL will pay for the renewal of the casino license from the year 2011 to 2016.
So does this mean that M/S Hotel Leela will soon join the five others on River Mandovi? Parsekar hinted that it’s possible.
“Well, I cannot say anything right now but I will tell you that we will not go above the earlier number of six casinos,” Parsekar told reporters, according to Herald Goa.
The chief minister, who announced back in July that he won’t authorize any more casinos except for the ones currently in operation, has already said there shouldn’t be a problem renewing the license of GGHPL.
Currently, there are five floating casinos—Deltin Royale, Deltin Jaqk, Pride of Goa and Pride of Goa 2—operating on the Mandovi river. The fleet of berth casinos, however, only have until March 31, 2017 to find a new location to call home. There had been offers of relocating to the Zuari river near Chicalim, located about 3km from the Dabolim international airport, but the casino owners have yet to sign on.
