Panaji, Aug 3: Native Goans would be banned from entering casinos from 2019, after the state government appoints a gaming commissioner to regulate the industry, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Friday. The Chief Minister said a casino policy would be unveiled this month. "As a policy, Goans will not be permitted to enter the casino playing areas. Only visiting tourists shall be allowed. A mechanism will be put in place once the gaming commissioner is appointed," the Chief Minister told the Assembly. Parrikar said that offshore casinos operating in the Mandovi river off Panaji would be relocated to special designated zones which will be notified by the state government in the upcoming policy.

"The Government shall identify notified designated zones where present offshore casinos can be shifted. That means the government will notify zones... Licences for offshore casinos will be issued provided they grant their willingness within a year's time," Parrikar said.

"Licences for casino operations being granted in a designated zone can be considered for a tenure of 10 to 15 years taking into account the huge investment required for such projects," Parrikar said.

There are currently six offshore casinos operating from the Mandovi river,  while there are nine onshore casinos which function in the numerous five star resorts which dot the state. When in the Opposition (from 2007-2012), the BJP had vociferously opposed casino operations in Goa, most of the licences for which had been granted by Congress-led coalition governments.

Top BJP leaders, including Parrikar, on several occasions had promised to close down the offshore casino industry after coming to power. When the BJP rode to power in 2012, the Congress accused the saffron party of being in cahoots with the casino lobby, especially after successive coalition governments headed by the BJP failed to shut offshore casino operations.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 04, 2018 02:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).