Horseshoe would decide fate of Casinos in Goa
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 27 May 2013 23:22 IST
Horseshoe casino boat
Giving license to Horseshow, a new casino boat brought in by Delta Corporation Ltd in Goan waters, would decide the policy of the Bharatiya Janata Party government on casinos.
Horseshoe, a little bigger casino boat similar to Casino Royale boat, has actually been brought to Goa to replace Caravela, Goa’s first live casino boat.
“It is just a boat, not a casino until it gets a license for playing casino”, says chief minister Manohar Parrikar.
Around 13 metres longer than Caravela, Horseshoe offers more gaming tables and slot machines than Caravela.
While Caravela has 105 gaming tables and 10 slot machines, Horseshoe has 100 tables and almost 80 slot machines.
It can also accommodate 100 more guests than the capacity of 300 of Caravela.
“We have given license to Caravela and a new boat has to apply afresh. We will decide to give license to the new boat only after examining its application”, says Parrikar.
He also clarifies he does not know all the legal details since the file has still not come to him.
However, Parrikar clarifies that there is no provision of automatic transfer.
The chief minister also reiterated that all the casinos would be wiped out from Goan waters by the end of his term.
This is the second year of his five-year term he has entered in.
“I will be working on the new act and its rules in June to decide the fate of casinos in Goa”, he said.
Parrikar also made it clear once again that no casino license would be renewed.
Out of six casinos, he said, one casino license is already cancelled while another one is kept valid but without a boat.
Horseshoe is a new addition now, which the owners say is a replacement but the government thinks otherwise.
Perhaps the approach adopted on Horseshoe would decide whether Parrikar means what he says.
