The Goa government has decided to impose financial penalties on casinos for the first time, introducing fines of up to Rs 75 lakh ($82,700) for violations of licence conditions. The decision comes days after legislators raised concerns about alleged live gambling activities in casinos during the monsoon session of the Goa Assembly.
The new framework applies to both onshore and offshore casinos operating in the state. Goa currently has more than a dozen onshore casinos and six offshore vessels offering gaming operations.
Recently, the relocation of Delta Corp’s offshore casino vessel MV Horseshoe, operating as Deltin Royale, had triggered protests and political controversy in Goa, even as the Captain of Ports department had granted interim permission for the move. Residents and opposition leaders had objected to the proposed induction of a larger 112-metre casino vessel in the River Mandovi, calling for status quo and stricter scrutiny.
Graded fines for repeated violations
Under the new rules, the state government will impose a graded penalty system for breaches of licence conditions. For the first violation, the operator will face a fine of Rs 25 lakh ($27,607). A second violation will attract a penalty of Rs 50 lakh ($55,215). For a third or subsequent violation, the fine will increase to Rs 75 lakh ($82,700).
The government said that for any violation of licence terms, it may forfeit the security deposit and make the licence liable for cancellation. It may also require the licensee to pay the prescribed fine, or both actions can be taken together.
Officials confirmed that this is the first time the state has created a provision to impose direct financial penalties on casino operators for licence breaches.
Earlier rules allowed only suspension or cancellation
A senior government officer said that earlier there was no provision to levy fines on casino operators found in violation of licence conditions. The state government could suspend the licence and later cancel it if violations were established.
The introduction of monetary penalties adds an intermediate enforcement measure. Authorities can now penalise operators financially without immediately suspending or cancelling their licences.
Assembly raises issue of live gambling
The move follows heated discussions in the Goa Assembly during the monsoon session. Several MLAs raised the issue of live gambling taking place inside casino premises. Legislators questioned whether certain gaming activities violated the terms and conditions set out in casino licences.
Following the debate, law enforcement authorities initiated action.
Police raid onshore casino in Candolim
On Wednesday, Goa Police conducted a search operation at an onshore casino in Candolim. Police alleged that the casino had allowed live gaming on its premises.
During the raid, officers seized cash and gaming equipment worth approximately Rs 35 lakh ($38,650). The items confiscated included a table used for live card gambling, six small result display screens, one medium sized display screen, 52 playing cards, a chip float containing chips of various denominations, a shuffler shoe and other gambling related articles.
Police arrested 11 individuals in connection with the case. Those detained included customers, a dealer and a shift manager. All were later released on bail.
Stricter compliance measures for casino sector
The introduction of fines marks a shift in regulatory enforcement for the casino industry in Goa. With both onshore and offshore casinos operating under state licences, authorities now have a structured penalty mechanism to address repeated violations.
The graded fine system aims to ensure compliance with licence terms while allowing the government to take escalating action against repeat offenders. Security deposit forfeiture and licence cancellation remain available as additional enforcement tools.
The state government has not announced any further changes to the casino licensing framework. However, the latest decision signals tighter monitoring of casino operations following concerns raised in the Assembly and recent enforcement action by police.
Subscribe HERE to SiGMA’s Top 10 News countdown and SiGMA’s weekly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest iGaming News from the world’s iGaming authority, and benefit from subscriber-only offers.
