Royale Casino insists on another river to shift
PTI, MUMBAI | 19 November 2013 20:51 IST
Delta Corp Limited, which owns majority share in Goa's off shore casino business, has said that they are ready to shift out of the river Mandovi but is averse to move off shore casinos into the sea.
"The option to shift in the sea is not viable. There is a security risk. Its not safe," Jaydev Modi, Chairman, Delta Corp Limited told reporters here.
He said that the company has given an undertaking to the state government that they would be shifting to the suitable location given by them.
"But it should be preferably river. Any river will do provided there is adequate infrastructure," Modi said, adding that they don't mind shifting to Zuari River, which is in south Goa.
He said that the off shore casino operators have full faith that the state government will work together with them while shifting the vessels as the casino business has become an important factor for the economy of the state which is plagued with the mining closure.
"Government is framing the rules (under Goa Gaming Act). The Gaming commissioner will be appointed and only thereafter the situation would be clear as to where the off shore casino vessels would be shifted," Modi said.
Parrikar led cabinet had recently announced to shift all the off shore casino vessels out of Mandovi River in next two years.
Delta Corp group owns three off shore casino vessels in Goa including Deltin Royale which is India's largest casino with over 900 gaming positions spread over 40,000 square feet across four levels. The Group has invested Rs 250 crore in the casino business in Goa, he said.
Modi said that Goa's tourism industry has got a major boost with the casino business.
"Almost 30 per cent of the tourists come to Goa only to play in casinos," he said.
He said that barring Goans from entering the casinos would not affect the business but it would "not be fair considering the rights issue.
