The Goa Government has approved the Goa Public Gambling Rules, a new regulatory framework designed to tighten oversight of casino operations in the state, as reported by The Times of India.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant cleared the proposals submitted by the home department, after which the draft was vetted by the law department. The rules are expected to be placed before the cabinet later in March, with formal notification to follow.
A senior official said the rules will make the office of the gaming commissioner fully functional, providing a formal structure for supervision of both offshore and onshore casinos. Goa currently hosts around twelve land-based casinos and six offshore vessels.
According to the official, there is “no mechanism in place” to review the background of every casino client or determine whether funds used for gambling originate from legal or illegal sources. The rules aim to address these gaps by giving the gaming commissioner authority to issue entry tickets, a function currently performed by operators themselves.
Once implemented, the commissioner will be required to maintain daily records of visitors to each casino. “The next day, the gaming commissioner will be able to check the inventory to find how many people entered the casino,” the official said, adding that this data will help establish a formal audit trail of patron activity.
The draft rules also grant the commissioner enforcement powers. These include the right to order temporary closure of casino operations, seal casino areas within five-star hotels and take custody of any offshore casino vessel if violations are detected. The commissioner will also exercise control over games conducted and oversee operational compliance once the rules take effect.
The government is expected to proceed with cabinet approval and formal notification later this month.
The state presently lacks a system to verify casino patrons or track the source and volume of money spent
